In My Humble Opinion
Forgive my skepticism but there are just too many unanswered questions with regard to having the UAE in control of some of the key US ports. While there is no doubt that there are many Arabs who absolutely love US money, I truly wonder how far the affection really goes beyond US dollars filling Arab coffers? Ok, so economically speaking, the UAE is our ally, at least for now. If forced to choose between other Arab nations or the US, what would the outcome be? Other than money, what ties do we really have with any Arab nation?
From a cultural standpoint, most Arab nations being predominantly Muslim have little affection for any Western country and in fact consider the US to be the “Great Satan”. Learning that 40% of British Muslims would prefer a Sharia based system of law which is one based on the Koran is certainly anything but comforting. Do Muslims immigrate to area in Europe to meld into the culture, society, and lifestyles of their adoptive homes? Judging from recent rioting in Paris lasting several weeks the answer would be a resounding, NO! The fires of fanaticism are eagerly fanned by Mullahs who are more than happy to exploit any situation they can to create emotional whirlpools capable of enveloping large groups of impressionable Muslims, especially those living in depressed conditions. Lest we forget, as per the definition as detailed in the Koran, anyone who is not a Muslim is an infidel. Infidels can convert to Islam, be subjugated to a lower class status paying taxes to their Muslim lords, or simply be killed. There are no other options.
While the management team of the UAE who would in fact oversee the daily operation of US ports under their control may in fact profess allegiance to the US, where does that loyalty end? One analogy of having the UAE in control of US ports is like being a bridge between the Arab world and the US. The question then becomes, what would pass over the bridge between the two worlds? Wouldn’t this create a definite possibility for terrorist infiltration of the major US cities where these ports or located? Could this bridge be a conduit for terrorist activity and the creation of terrorist cells inside the US? How would we determine who is or is not going to engage in terroism or terroist activity? It is not like they are going to boldly profess their intentions upon entering our ports.
From a security standpoint this could be an absolute nightmare scenario. We have only to look to our US/Mexico borders or our US/Canada borders to see the blatant failures with regard to security. How successful has the US been in combating or even dealing with the flow of illegals entering the US from either border? My intention is not to denigrate or berate our wonderful men and women who are vigilant and diligent in their efforts and do their very best on a daily basis to stop as much as they can. Officers of the US Border Patrol are simply overwhelmed and understaffed, and undersupplied to contend with the flow of illegals every single day. This is not simply a few hungry immigrants in search of opportunity but is sometimes very organized, well supported, and even high tech operations. Terrorists are not stupid either and are quite aware or the problems with controlling our borders.
The mainstream media has done a wonderful job illustrating our vulnerabilities and weaknesses and our enemies have paid close attention. When forces were landing in Iraq, the mainstream media was there reporting, as it happened with great enthusiasm. The mainstream media, cameras rolling, are typically not far from any tragedy resulting from a breakdown in US security which has been exploited by our enemies. It is not hard to see that the coverage and time given to covering the war in Iraq has been anything but favorable to the US in any way. Do we see schools being opened, electricity operations, or water being restored to areas suffering nearly unbearable conditions? No, obviously we see only that which can be spun to present the worst and most negative portrayal all for purposes of damaging the current administration for political purposes. The same is true with the uncontrollable influx of illegals into our country every day.
What affect will any of this have on our nation? That answer to this question is quite simply, 9/11 revisited. Just because there have been no further incidents or attacks on US soil for awhile does not mean that it is over and we can all sleep safely in our beds with delusions of safety because we are more alert now. Yes, many positive and necessary changes have taken place since the attacks but are we safe now? Are we safe enough to turn over the management of some of our key ports to anyone who could possibly either knowingly or unknowingly act as a conduit for terroists? These are just some of the issues which should be given serious consideration. How safe would we be when the enemy is in our front yards?
