Globalization Spawns Port Situation

Controversy surrounding a plan to transfer management of six US ports from a British company to Dubai Ports Worldwide reveals the complexities of US-Arab relations. Dubai belongs to the United Arab Emirates, not known for radical Islamic politics. In fact, the UAE is a key Arab ally of the US, with US Navy ships frequently moving in and out of its ports. The al Dafrah Air Base facilitates US reconnaissance flights over Iraq and Afghanistan, and Dubai has long been a stop for US service members with no major incidents or conflicts. Dubai also has a long history as a global trading post. Already wealthy through oil, port management is one facet of the Emirates ongoing initiative to seek out profitable investment around the world. In the post 9/11 age, however, even a moderate Islamic state can be the target of US suspicion. While the UAE is ostensibly a major US partner in the war on terror, experts point to an unhealthy fear over the possibility of an Islamic nation presiding over US ports. Author and scholar Joseph A. Kechichian sums up the dilemma by suggesting that the US should reach out to allies in the Arab world and not resort to prejudice – YaleGlobal