Ports & Palestinians

Let me get this straight. It's okay for the United States as part of the Quartet of Middle East mediators -- the United States, the European Union, the United Nations and Russia -- to threaten cutting off funds to the freely elected government of the Palestinian Authority, yet the moment it looks like the port deal is in jeopardy BushCo cry foul because the UAE needs our business support to keep them on the straight and narrow and away from terror. WTF?

If we take the funding away from the Palestinian people, and yes I know a terrorist organization is now running the show, the harm may be irreparable.

In a letter to the Quartet of Middle East mediators international envoy James Wolfensohn states:

"I know I do not need to tell each of you that the failure to pay salaries may have wide-ranging consequences -- not only for the Palestinian economy but also for security and stability for both the Palestinians and the Israelis," Wolfensohn said. [Read More]

Now, I'm no Hamas fan, but is there not a double standard here? If the UAE somehow losses out on the port deal, which is not likely to happen since BushCo has already cut a face-saving deal with his oil buddies, they will survive and the region will stay stable.

BUT if the Palestinian Authority loses it's funding...