Friday, 25 January 2008

Bush whack

You mean National Bush Day wasn't a genuine, real, we love America, public holiday? Apparently, size counts in Bush's case: the size of his helicopter, according to media in the free world .... Read more here.

Thanks Holy Moly!
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12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Helicopters of any size often use the Police Academy facilities very close to the Burj.

27 January, 2008 05:35
Anonymous said...

Quite. Enjoyable as it is, I don't think we should rely on Holy Moly for leads. The US didn't ask for that level of protection, so what on earth prompted the security, I wonder?

28 January, 2008 14:06
Anonymous said...

It was a combination of things: the general security required for a US president (even in the Srares they close whole blocks down); the state of traffic here generally; and the weather. The cost of closing for a day is nothing compared to the value of the exposure provided to the world for the UAE.

29 January, 2008 05:11
Anonymous said...

Abu Dhabi managed to accommodate Bush without coming to a total standstill so why the farce here? And what a load of shit about "exposure to the world for the UAE" - gossip about the Burj Al Arab's helipad, rumblings about the city closing down the day, nothing said about any of the massive inequalities here, more of the usual crap about how this place is the city of dreams. Yes, it really was a triumph.

29 January, 2008 08:42
Anonymous said...

Yes, it's tough being in the only place in the world with massive inequalities, particularly as we all come from such fair minded cultures. And like it or not, a lot of people around the world were seeing names like Abu Dhabi for the first time in the context of a place visited by US presidents, which again, like it or not, is a big deal and says something about the emergence of the UAE. Just because you hate everything here doesn't change certain facts and geopolitical realities. Dubai closed down where AD didn't because it isn't infrastructurally complete and it was pouring rain. I enjoyed my day off anyway and didn't miss a beat workwise - thanks George.

29 January, 2008 09:35
Anonymous said...

Not infrastructurally complete? Sure this place is a giant building site but there are plenty of helipads here, even if the urban myth about the presidential chopper being too heavy for the Burj Al Arab is true. No need at all to turn a city into a ridiculous fucking ghost town. It's stuff like the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Dubai trying to buy Liverpool that gets attention around the world and general flash gittishness that gets attention.

29 January, 2008 12:22
Anonymous said...

You don't get it. Next time Dubai Ports want to buy into US port facilities there will be something more substantial to hang the proposal on. Visible (and subsequent non-visible) diplomatic contact is one of the cornerstones of international relations. Far beyond the importance of commercial ventures like F1 races. People here get hung up on crass commercialism, flashiness and new money crassness and think they've got it all worked out. (TYhey're usually driving around in big SUVs, living in villas and hanging out at fake cocktail lounges!)

29 January, 2008 12:41
Anonymous said...

And yet Sarkozy's visit to Abu Dhabi scored fewer column inches than his girlfriend Carla ... Thought we liked Euros, didn't like dollars?

29 January, 2008 13:43
Anonymous said...

The xenophobic, hysterical fiasco that was Dubai Ports last attempt to buy into US ports proved that there is a long, long way to go before this place is truly taken seriously on the world stage. The Bush visit might have gotten people's attention for a few moments but there's plenty of work still to be done. You still see reports, especially in the US media, where the journalist seems to think that Dubai is a country.

29 January, 2008 14:52
Anonymous said...

How would the visit of a man who was always in favour of the deal, accompanied by none of the people who were against it, be beneficial to future trade deals.

29 January, 2008 15:42
Anonymous said...

My guess is a late security threat -- probably not that credible, but serious enough to force a rethink on plans -- led US to decide to drop Dubai portion of the trip. Faced with such an unbearable loss of face, specially since Bush had just been to AD, Dubai asked .. what will it take? Shut down the whole city? Fine! We can do that!. And this, a free holiday for all

31 January, 2008 11:39
Anonymous said...

Or just seriously poor communication between the government, the police and the RTA so the public didn't know of any Bush plans until the last minute. As happened the day before Bush when the police closed off the SZR slip roads but didn't bother to inform the RTA or the public, thus causing the mother of all traffic jams. It was great to spend nearly three hours at an average speed of 5 driving from Garhoud to Media City.

31 January, 2008 12:34

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