From: "Gary Wiltshire" 

On Mon, 13 Mar 2006 18:36:38 -0500, Adam field.near the bridge">
 wrote:

> George Sherwood wrote:
>> On Fri, 10 Mar 2006 13:16:40 +0000, Adam wrote:
>>
>>
>>> Airbasing rights plus some boeing orders?
>>>
>>> After all having a foreign armed force on your territory is obviously a
>>> security issue....
>>
>>
>> After saying that I mostly agree with you on the ports issue, you really
>> believe anything like the above is going to happen?  I sure don't for a
>> variety of reasons.  Bet more beers on the basing rights remaining the
>> same and no confirmed orders canceled?
>>
>> George
>
> Arabs talk quietly & move slowly. It's a "chill in the
air" sort of
> thing.
>
> I'll be interested in how many will want them around once "operations in
> Iraq" wind down. I do not think they will be helpfull in terms of any
> move against Iran for instance.
>
> WRT Contracts confirmed...nope I am sure most of them will be honoured
> coz it ain't them that are xenophobic bigots scared of global
> capitalism, rather the "Trucial Omanis" are a trading lot
& have run
> dhows to india for millenia so they're kind of used to it already.
>
> Silk from china, spices from India & beyond going one way wine,olive oil
> etc going the other.
>
> But if you don't think they could run a port then hey your loss.
>
> Adam
>
> Adam

It is our loss and it's an area where I actually agree with you.  All both
GOPs and Dems had to hear was "Arab" and they had a frelling cow.
 I don't think a lot of people have a clue how much foreign holdings there
are here and how important they are to our economy.  I remember when people
were freaked by how much the Japanese owned here, never seeming to know or
care that the British and the Dutch owned far more.

--
Gary Wiltshire

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