Iran and Dubai on the Fourth of July
By Ellen Ratner
Bureau Chief, Talk Radio News Service/FOX News Political Contributor
I spent the Fourth of July with many other Americans at the Emirates Country Club in Dubai at a great event organized by the American Business Council. The evening’s festivities began with the presentation of our flag by a Color Guard followed by a member of our military taking his re-enlistment oath. To the tune of “Born in the USA” we watched a short fireworks display where the Roman Candles looked like palm trees. Staff from the American Consulate had set up a table to offer assistance in obtaining absentee ballots for the November election. Fifty members from an aircraft carrier that was anchored in Dubai joined the festivities. Everyone was excited to be there to celebrate our nation’s independence on a golf course surrounded by the spectacular skyline of Dubai. It was a grand evening.
Here among the many American sponsors, (including Cadillac, Baskin Robbins, Pepsi and Dole), were U.S. citizens from all walks of life and political persuasions who are choosing to live their lives at least 7500 miles from home. Some are here because they like adventure and new places and others are here for the professional opportunities and the ability to make a lot of money. But no matter which American Dubai residents I spoke with, everyone was united on one issue: we should not bomb Iran.
The prevailing opinion can be characterized as, “I’m scared to death that he [George Bush] is going to do it.” Not only were people afraid for their own safety if the United States bombs Iran, but everyone felt this action would be very shortsighted. One woman said she couldn’t watch American television because news programs are so slanted against Muslims. She said she did not feel like that before she got here and now when she goes home to Atlanta people look at her like she has two heads.
Additionally, every person I spoke with felt that bombing Iran would drive up the price of oil and wreck havoc with the world economy. One person asked, “How is it that we allow Pakistan to have the bomb and do nothing?” These Americans who are spending their lives in the thick of the world’s hot spots were united in their belief that talking, using diplomacy and developing business alliances can do more to achieve U.S. interests than bombs. Our fellow citizens residing in Dubai get it, why don’t our political leaders?
Yes, by all means, let’s allow Iran take the first nuclear shot. Who really needs Israel anyway?/s/
What a bunch of hand wringing pantywaists.
From party to Iran… nice transition.
Our proxies have been talking for 5 yrs with nothing to show for it. In North Korea, the unilateralist Bush adminsitration have been conduct the 5 party talks and have a sham of an agreement.
Talking works when both sides want to negotiate or when one has a big stick over the other. It surely looks like Iran and Korea talk, not to negotiate, but to buy time and tribute.
Ellen,
Who said we were going to bomb Iran? Thank god those citizens don’t run the country. A president must never take the military option off the table and only a fool would suggest such a thing. Pakistan is a democracy. Both Indian and Pakistan developed the bomb over the objections and sanctions of the U.S. and others, tell the person you quote to read up on it, before asking that question. I bet that person was never in the military and the person that was scared to death President Bush was going to bomb Iran was a female and liberal.
How do they feel about Iran nuking Israel? I guess they are more afraid of President Bush than they are of the moron who heads the Iranian government. Perhaps the Pakistanis have not threatened to wipe a country and all its people off the face of the earth. Please don’t disturb the wine n’cheesies. Two heads and no brains.
Which one of our leaders has advocated bombing Iran? When? Where? Much of the media in the US is dishonest, & that in the Mid-East is regularly reported as being among the world’s worst… Is this alleged fear among the expat elite influenced by conversations based on that press? And/or is it simply self-serving, as working there wouldn’t be nearly as lucrative without all the tensions?
Far as I can tell the only interests served in bombing Iran at the moment would be the government of Iran & their fearless religious leaders [& yes, that fearless leader bit is tribute to Boris & Natasha]. The only interests served in even talking about it involve the egos on the far left trying to shape public opinion among the gullible. I mean it’s hardly a topic that’s ever come up in conversation… “Hey, Bob, nice weather - how was your golf game this weekend - & oh, by the way, think we’ll get to bomb Iran this summer?.. Hope they do it after the summer TV season’s over though - maybe if they squeezed it in before the fall season starts?”
As far as anti-Muslim bias in the media, where in the world does that come from? If the woman meant the media doesn’t give Islam a blanket pass like in the Mid-East, well, yeah… We do still have some integrity… or maybe I’m mistaken, and it’s just because of her having 2 heads?
;?P
I’d like to know what shows that woman was watching with the anti-Muslim slant. It is interesting that the “left’ is so busy saying what Pres. Bush is going to do when he hasn’t mentioned anything. Why are people so frightened of America being strong and an example for the world. Cowering and bowing down to bullies is not how I was raised. It is time to stand up to bullies and not allow them to control the agenda.
Wierd article. As another poster pointed out, strange transition from the party to bombing Iran. Iran is now a problem for us and mostly for Israel mainly because we invaded Iraq. Before we did that, Saddam and Amadinijad(sp?) basically held each other in a tenuous, rougish sort of balance. Saddam is now gone and, I’m not shedding any tears over that, but that fact has shifted the power balance of the region. Amadinijad no longer has Saddam to worry about, so he can focus his threatening rhetoric toward Israel and us. The guy is a loon and may HAVE to be dealt with militarily at some point. But maybe not. We’re all worried about oil prices and another US invasion in the region would likely cause them to double, but so would a nuke going off in Jerusalem.
Once again, only one side of the story is told. How many “party attendees” recommended increased political and economic pressure on Iran? How many insisted that a strong military is needed to put “teeth” behind sanctions? If you only threaten to discipline for so long those threats become meaningless. If you love/honor/respect the disciplinarian you are more likely to straighten up. Iran’s ruling factions do not love us, they do not honor us, and with the whining and hand wringing over what we shouldn’t do they are losing respect for us. That’s where it gets dangerous.
Re: an anti-Muslim slant. Hogwash. That is the media putting their spin on things…as always. However, if you want some interesting facts on Muslims, look for a 98 minute video titled “What the West Needs to Know About Islam.” Then weigh that info against what YOU see in the events around you. YOU do the research on our culture clash (the West vs. Islam) THEN make a determination as to what is happening around you.
As I’ve said in other blogs, we need to show unity AND strength. To continue this bickering as to who is right and who is wrong is a sign of weakness to our enemies. Yes, I KNOW about freedom of religion, but when you allow a religion to be practiced in your own country when that religion’s main goal is the furthering of that religion and the abolishment of all others, you need to wake up before you no longer smell coffee.
She talked to “eveyone” there? I hardly think so. Notice, she never gives a number to “everyone” she talked to. It reminds me of my 6th & 7th grade students getting upset when I don’t give them what they want - “But Mr. Hill, all the other teachers are letting their students do it!” (whatever the “it” they want to do).
This is a vintage example of the strawman. Out of the clear blue, she tells us that “everyone” didn’t want the US to bomb Iran and “everyone” is afraid Bush will (building up the strawman and then tearing it down). The problem is that the President is not calling for the bombing of Iran. Ah, a poor example of the strawman argument.
I would like her to share with us how she’s handling the terrible truth that her hero, Sen. Obama, has refused to take the option of bombing Iran off the table. I guess when Obama says he’s willing to consider bombing under certain conditions, he would be a wise President protecting our country. When President Bush says he’s willing to consider bombing under certain conditions, he’s nothing but a warmonger.
I’m amazed she never tires of showing her vintage liberal hypocrisy.
Iran isn’t a problem. A lot of cowards in this country seem to think they are, but then a lot of cowards in this country were scared to death of Saddam. Our military took him out of power in a matter of hours. Iran couldn’t even get that job done in DECADES. The fearmongering is still ramped up in high gear though, so I guess we should all be shaking in our boots at the big bad Iranians. Even though the Republicans tell me I should be deathly afraid for my life, I’m more afraid of things more likely to happen than Iran ever successfully attacking anyone…things like the Earth slipping into a black hole and getting sucked into an alternate universe where the only method of communication is singing to broadway tunes. Yeah, I think that is much more likely to happen before Iran becomes a threat to anyone. Maybe, just maybe, it’s time for all the cowards in this country to put on the big-boy pants and stop letting the terrorists win. They want you to be afraid, and you’re being incredibly obliging.
Lets also focus on this while we are at it - bit of an elitist jet setting aroung in the ME arn’t you Ellen? Must be nice - bet you have no worries about gas prices, the stock market, cost of food, the economy, terrorism in the US etc. Yep - you must feel very special.
The rest of us actually have to deal with all of the above. Do us a favor - you and your fear mongering can bloody well stay in the UAE and we’ll just have to get along without your fair and balanced reporting. M’kay?
being in dubai on the 4th of july isnt something to brag about, if you ask me…. and if your living that close to iran… are you really surprised that they wouldnt want the US to bomb iran??????
and finally if your in dubai, it isnt much of a stretch that those people would be just alittle biased…????
ohhh and among the reasons for living in dubai… i would believe making alot of money long before any of the other lame reasons, and they are scared that Pres. Bush may take action ONLY because it may interfere with their “money making” schemes.
jeez your article is so skewed. slanted against muslims…?????? yeah, lets see, 9/11 ring any bells to you and your american friends in dubai…???? how about the trains in Spain, and those buses in london, and how about the taliban and osama bin laden and burak hussien obama…. i could go on and on. is it any wonder the public opinion of muslims are “slanted” and you know what, the thing that really grates americans is that we some how feel that we must accomadate these guys by building foot bathes for taxi drivers, and put booties on police dogs on search warrant operations and all the other “um american” things they insist on…. and you think we have a slanted opinion… go figure.
another one of those “go figure” things is that YOUR freinds in dubai want to talk out this little problem with iran, and of course that would probably be better for your dem friends who are interested in making a buck… and could care less for the USA… your whole article about YOUR friends in dubai is dont take any action against iran cause we might lose a few bucks that is more like the prevailing thoughts and thats exactly what is wrong the politicians, especially the dems do get it…. and that is…
THE PROBLEM. well that and you writing this dribble about your buddies in dubai.
get stinking real will you!
your friends in dubai should be “scared to death” by iran, not “their” own President, President Bush is not the wild card in this deal, and i would start looking around to spend your next holiday some where in the USA and with different people, people who have some faith in America and display at least a hint of honor and pride in “their” country.
too bad your friends in dubai weren’t all “united” in the one issue of standing up for America, and being proud that they were Americans, and not sounding like muslims, from iran. everyone knows what these people are about, and i would bet you included, its all about the money, and the democrat idea that America is the bad guy in every situation. and the prevailing opinion being characterized as: :im scared to death that he ( George Bush) is going to do it.” really does characterizes you and your friends, placing you squarely in the dems corner of we are the bad guys, and every one else is righteous.
everything that is wrong with America today, is because of these kinds of people (dems) and their ideals. your article touched on every part of the democrat ideals;
greed, pro muslim, arrogance, unpatriotic, untrustworthy, and the list goes on and on…. ohhhh wait a minute that does sound like barak obama doesnt it.
To Jason:
It is a fact that Amadinijad has said multiple times that Israel will be wiped off the map. It is also a fact that Iran is developing nuclear capabilities (for energy purposes… we all hope that’s true). It’s not buying into the “fear-mongering” (which I do believe the Bush administration was doing prior to invading Iraq) to think a defiant kook migth make good on his own implied threats. Perhaps not today or tomorrow, maybe 10 years from now? This is the real world, pard. And for the record I don’t think we should haul off and bomb Iran at this point. Let them run their collective mouth. But to say that it’s cowardice to be militarily prepared is just nonsense.
Well between my family and I serving in the middle east, one Marine, one Soldier and one Airman I think the media is not biased against muslims. The comment being made by the women about how she feels they are slighted, try living in Afghanastan or Iraq !!!!! Dubai isnt a hardship tour compared to these places……Oh by the way your in Dubai for the money not for some higher calling. So get over yourselves as your eating at the outback steakhouse complaining how its rough out there for you…..seriuously.
Ellen,
1) The paranoia as you callit about Muslims in general is alarming, due to the fact there have been 11,390 peaceful muslim terror attacks on their own people and others since 9/11. The fact that there is not more called to this news is amazing. I guess people that are not informed can not make rational decisions.
2) The entire Muslim history is filled with violence, terror, slavery, and over all very brutal. But again uninformed people can not make rational descisions.
3) The so called peaceful government of Iran has been doing the majority of the so called saber rattling. Were you are they just don’t tell their people the truth.
If you think Iran is such a great place why don’t you go live there you it may be the only way you can take off the rose colored glasses and see the light.
Back in 2007 a UN report said that Iran is no longer secretly building the Atom bomb. This brought a call to ease up on Iran from the UN IAEA commission. But what they failed to say is that Iran is now openly building the bomb. Like in your face… Bold and don’t care about what the world wants and is going to do to them.
Of course, the UN will take it Freaken time until it’s too late. Too late means a detenation of a device on a country.
The US will have their hands tied, depending who will be President at the time of the detenation. Or if Iran attacks a US forces or Allies. Maybe…
The world will be outrage, but will do nothing because they don’t really care..
Who is this moron Ellen Ratner. I suggest she talked to 6, maybe 10 people who she seeked out with the same pacifist ideas. There is nothing in this article that is fact based, only emotion based; like all liberal Dems, no facts needed, just speculation, and the “they think they know” mentality.
If there is any facts in this article let her site them _she won’t, there isn’t anyone who would corroborate her emotions(not facts)
All you Israel haters, take note. Israel is our friend. There are a lot of Americans there. It is a democracy. The only one in the Middle East. The others: 12th Century Zealots. The latest. 79 people in Dubai arrested for wearing too little at the beach. Just think America, side with the Arabs, and you may not be able to watch your favorite show, wear the clothes you want, worship where you want, live the life you want, listen to the music you want. Do I make my point? Israel is our friend. The Arabs are not. Don’t side with the enemy. Iran is a toilet. Let Israel take care of the toilet, and flush it away. It will do the world good.