UAE PORTS DEAL: COULD IT BE FOR BASE ASSURANCES AGAINST IRAN ?

With the Congress investigating the sale of operational control of six major ports to the UAE and knowing that the President has been adamant in his convictions and his stance in protecting thise nation, I have been attempting to try and make sense of the Bush administrations unwavering support of this transaction. There is considerable evidence in my opinion based on pre-9/11 actions that the UAE was a terrorist sponsoring state. Granted that after 9/11 as has been stressed by the administration the UAE has been one of the strongest allies to the United States and possibly the strongest in the region. This still does not change my opinion that even though nothing changes in the operations of the ports and basically only the origin of the checks written and book keeping in essence is all that will change with the acquisition, logical wisdom says that the UAE having access to United States port security and because of shipping that originates from the ports possibly security of other means of transportation, that it becomes a definite security risk. So I asked myself why would a President who has been so adamant about protecting this country take such a political gamble that could make his Presidency more lame duck than is usual in the final years of a second term. Additionally is this acquisition as threatening as initial reaction has been ? Though I still believe the security risks are real the only answer that I could reach was the possibility that this sale is additional insurance for the United States to have a base of operations for a possible strike against Iran's nuclear build up, whether targeting the nuclear facilities or a possible invasion. I have no absolute prove but the logic of this assumption makes sense. Since our entrance into the region for the Afghanistan and Iraq military action the U.S. has been using Dubai ports for our naval vessels. In fact there have been more dockings of U.S. naval vessels in Dubai than anywhere else in the world save the United States. Additionally much of the air operations for both the Afghan and Iraq theatres has originated at the Al Dhafra Air Base just outside of Abu Dhabi the capitol of the UAE. The strategic location of the ports and the bases give quick response to the entire region and perfect location for any action against Iran because of the close proximity across the Arabian Gulf. Again this is only speculation on my part but it does answer several questions about the importance of the UAE to the United States and its importance as an active ally. Maybe the hearings will shed more light on this acquisition though if my hypothesis is true and Iran is in the sights to justifiably prevent a nuclear program I would hope that this would not be revealed in the hearings. Does make one think doesn't it ?

Ken Taylor