In case you forgot – and if you’re reading this, you’re probably American, so you most likely did forget – a company based in the oil-rich United Arab Emirates attempted in early 2006 to run some of America’s ports.
Well, Republicans got all scared – because we simply can’t have ARABS run our ports, can we? – even threatening to pass a Congressional Resolution blocking the move. This prompted President George W. Bush to threaten a veto – what would have been his first at the time, until finally Dubai Ports World scuttled the deal. (Obama and other prominent Democrats expressed their opposition to the idea at the time.)
Now, one of the Emirates is once again targeting America, putting together an offer to buy the Chrysler Building in New York City. We all remember what happened after the Japanese bought the Rockefeller Building in 1989 …
Actually, nothing happened.
Please, Obama, never stir up nativist and racist impulses in Americans over business deals.
(p.s. Dubai, not Abu Dhabi, is the Emirate creating the man-made islands off its’ coast.)
