UAE - Jealousy?

Gulf News did an opinion poll on DPW's acquisition with this question: "Why are some US lawmakers against the P&O Deal? It carried the results in its Feb. 20 edition: 42% said the cause was jealousy; 32% said it was "security concerns"; and 26% said it was xenophobia.

On the same day Gulf News published a letter from a reader, Mr. F. Shafiq, saying: "First, there were attempts to stop Indian steel magnate L.N. Mittal from taking over Arcelor. Now, DP World's successful bid for P&O is being torpedoed. All of a sudden, Asian players' takeover of Western interests is triggering concerns over labour rights and national security.

"It's time the 'civilised world' stopped preaching on international trade or democracy or freedom of speech. It's incredible how laws cease to exist whenever Americans or Europeans are involved. But when other nations play their game, it raises human rights and security concerns.

"The world's economic weight is slowly but surely shifting eastwards. How long can they resist?