Dubai in the News

Russian customs apparently caught a serious diamond smuggler; Douglas Farah has the details:

Russian authorities in Moscow’s Domodedovo airport this week arrested a Russian national carried 2.5 kilograms (5.5 pounds) of diamonds strapped to his body, according to the Itar-Tass news agency. The unidentified man was traveling from Dubai. It was reported to be the largest confiscation of diamonds ever.

It is interesting that the diamonds come from Dubai, one of the most rapidly growing diamond cutting and sales centers in the world. In light of the ties between al Qaeda and diamonds in the past, this development should be closely watched.

There's another version of the story that said some of the diamonds were first found in the luggage. I don't know enough about this story to make much out of it. Russia has become a strange country and a Russian caught smuggling diamonds probably doesn't say much. It is, of course, curious to see Dubai in the news. Dubai, after all, came close to taking over a number of our ports.

Republicans in Congress, however, still refuse to take port security as seriously as they should; Steve Soto of The Left Coaster has that story:

Remember all of the talk during the Dubai ports deal about how Congress was going to take the lead from the Bush Administration on improving port security? Remember all the GOP House members who talked a good game about container inspection?

After weeks of lobbying by retail and shipping industry interests, and at a time when the House GOP leadership is trying to force through a watered-down lobbying “reform” measure, when no one was looking today these same House GOP members voted against requiring all containers to be screened. But they did manage to pocket the campaign contributions from the industry though.

I wonder what exactly went into the pockets of the Republicans: diamonds? (My apologies for the sarcasm but Rep. Cunningham during his crime spree was at times being paid in household furnishings, including an expensive Persian rug).

I should point out that Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Pakistan are considered our allies. Good international relations are important but the more I read the more uneasy I feel; I don't feel Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld and Condi Rice have a good understanding of what's going on in the world. I would like to know where the experts are who do.