Comments: US ports deal: A bitter aftertaste

A selection of comments sent to us in response to Emilie Rutledge’s editorial: US ports deal: A bitter aftertaste.

This was American politics at its most vile. Both parties, Democratic and Republican, resorted to sickening racist caricatures to score political points. What’s most disturbing is that the strategy was very, very effective.

Marcello Mastroianni, USA

 

America does not want Arab countries investing heavily in the US. Nor do we want potentially dangerous foreign governments meddling or running any type of operations in US ports. It makes no difference if they don’t run security. It only takes one sympathetic Arab to create a terrorist attack, so why should America take that risk?

Peter Kornengold, USA

 

I think politicians made decisions when they were ill-informed about the UAE role on the “war on terror”.

Arao Ameny, USA

 

Thank you for having the courage to provide this kind of news and information, which is not available from so-called Western and West-controlled press.
MZ Khan, UK

 

The uproar was over the sneaky way the deal was done. Americans don’t do well when blindsided. We tend to balk, dig in our heels and reject anything seems to involve keeping something secret from us until it is accomplished. If you study our history you’ll see this pattern repeated over and over.

E Bald, USA

 

I’m very sad about the way the US Congress handled all of this. I support the war on terror, but we must not lose our focus and mix what is business with Islamo-fascism. And this was just business.

ED, Europe

The US government has the obligation to reflect the views of its people. The people of the US, which include all races, religions, colours, etc of the rest of the world, are concerned about national security especially, when it comes to Muslims. I think even Miss Rutledge would have to understand why. Even American Muslims are concerned. The best way to educate people is by understanding.

Alfred Rocco, USA

Are we talking about that same country that recognised Taliban and refuses to recognise Israel? No wonder they didn’t get the contracts.
Doug Webb, USA

The distrust of the American people in its government’s decisions must outweigh the economic considerations of the Dubai port fiasco. You see, without the trust of the people, which the US government has been steadily losing over the past 40 years, there is no point in arguing about the economic consequences.

It is enormously short-sighted of you to view this as an economic decision on the part of Americans: it is, rather, a feeble attempt by the government to cater to a mistrusting constituency.
David R Katz, USA

Source: Al Jazeera