25 June 2009

Free

Michael Joslin, the American that was incarcerated in Dubai for carrying a handgun in his checked baggage, was freed this week. There is no information concerning the reason why he was released although his Congressman and Senator Arlen Specter did have meetings with Dubai officials in Washington.

Needless to say, he won't be travelling through Dubai ever again.

I'm glad that he is back with his family. He was stupid to try to carry a handgun into Afghanistan and I don't condone his actions. But I think Dubai did the right thing and avoided a lot of bad press by deporting him. They should have done the same with the Brit adulterers and Sex on the Beach couple.

12 June 2009

Dummy!

It now appears that the American arrested for carry a gun in his luggage while transiting Dubai did it of his own volition against company policy.

While speaking from a pay phone that he operated through calling cards from weekly commissary trips at the Dubai Airport Deportation Center, Joslin said he was not aware that he needed to get approval for the weapon or the medication and never told EMW his intentions of bringing them.

“It was my decision,” the father of three said, calling EMW a “solid company.”

While the EMW attorney stated that the contract Joslin was scheduled to work in Afghanistan strictly prohibits contractor personnel from carrying firearms in theater, Joslin said he did not have a chance to read through his employee contract.

“I didn’t read my contract very thoroughly,” he said.

The guy is not the brightest bulb in the box, and he certainly can't blame anyone else for his troubles, but I still think Dubai should pack him on the next plane out and avoid weeks of possibly negative press.

Here's the article.

11 June 2009

American in Dubai Jail

An American is being held in Dubai on weapons charges. He was on his way to Kabul with a layover in Dubai. He had a weapon and presciption pain pills in his checked luggage. The weapon was approved by his employer, EMW of Herndon, Va, and he had alerted Emirates Airlines to it. They, like most airlines, allow unloaded weapons in checked luggage. However, when he arrived in Dubai, he was arrested. There is a disconnect between the airline policy and Dubai's laws prohibiting weapons without express permission from the country. Emirates should have checked that he had permission before allowing the weapon, just like they have to confirm that you have a visa before boarding the plane.

He has since been fired by his employer, who in my opinion, should have better prepared him with information for the trip. If was to carry a weapon in Kabul, he should have been issued one there instead of having him carry one with him, regardless of airline policy. He also does not seem to be getting much help from the local American consulate.

I'm not claiming that this guy is completely innocent but he seems to have fallen between the diplomatic cracks. IMHO, Dubai would get better world press, if they just instantly deported people rather than incarcerating them. I'll see if I can follow up on his plight.

05 June 2009

History, Rewritten Again

In BHO's speech from Cairo the other day he stated that a Muslim nation was the first to recognize the US in the Treaty of Tripoli.

What he neglected to say was that the treaty was made because the US had to make protection payments to the Barbary pirates to prevent them from hijacking our ships. (We didn't have a navy at the time so we were forced to pay tribute to the Muslims.) The treaty went south when the Pasha of Tripoli demanded an increase in payments to Thomas Jefferson. This led to the First Barbary War in 1801 and the inclusion of that "shores of Tripoli" line in the Marine Hymn.

BHO's choice of this particular piece of history seems ironic.

04 June 2009

Mixed Messages

The entertainment news is all about Paris Hilton doing her reality show in Dubai. There's lots of excitement about Paris looking for a new BFF in Dubai. She's bringing her boyfriend and her entourage. Oh, joy!

Now, if I remember correctly, isn't co-habitation by non-married couples against the law in Dubai? And isn't this the same country that prosecutes people for having sex out of wedlock or in public places? Do you really think Paris and her boyfriend are going to sleep in separate rooms? Do you think she'll end up in jail?

What kind of message does it send to the world if on the one hand you claim to be an Islamic country while on the other you promote one of the biggest party whores in Hollywood?

01 June 2009

Head Count

KSA executed 10 people last month. Most of them were done in an orgy of executions during 2 days of the month. They were murderers and child rapists. This brings the total to 37 by my count.

Young Mohammud Kohail is accusing the Canadian government of knowing that his confession was coerced but ignoring it.