Politicians Are Like Diapers!

Let’s close our eyes and imagine this is October 2004 and Election Day is only weeks away. Let’s say that George Bush was confronted with the issue of whether we should allow 6 major ports in the U.S. to be leased to a company owned by the government of the United Arab Emirates. My incredulity soars even higher upon learning that a prince of that country was buddy-buddy with Osama bin Laden, and they went on a hunting trip together a few years back.

UAE rulers maintained close ties to Osama bin Laden before September 11, and the cities of Abu Dhabi and Dubai have since served as operations and financial bases for al Qaeda terrorists. But the United Arab Emirates, the most Western of Persian Gulf nations, also has become the United States’ closest military ally in the region. Its ruling emirs permit Navy warships to dock in the bustling commercial center of Dubai on lengthy liberty calls. It also hosts U.S. Air Force warplanes, refueling jets and spy planes at the sprawling Al Dhafra air base near Abu Dhabi. The base sits across the gulf from U.S. adversary Iran.

During the Clinton administration, the United States even considered killing bin Laden when he was on a hunting expedition but did not because one of his hunting partners was one of the United Arab Emirates’ emirs.

Do you think if Bush were campaigning for re-election this November, he would allow this deal to happen despite severe criticism from the public and his own party members, including Bill Frist, the Senate majority leader? No way José!