It's not racism or xenophobia.  Markos was raised in El Salvador (though apparently born in Chicago).  I hardly think he's the sort of person who would be guilty of xenophobia or racism, since both have probably been directed at him at one point or another.  The Left, with the exception of some among the socially-conservative manufacturing base in the Mid-West, is not very xenophobic in America.  As far as racism is concerned, I think the modern Dems' actions speak for themselves, from the late-1950s to the present.

What's happening is that the Dems are taking an opportunity to attack Bush on national security, because they see that area as their weakness.  The Republican congressional leaders are trying to avoid getting slammed by this and have come out against the proposal.

I'm not sure where I stand, honestly.  I haven't heard a lot of good news about the UAE, but I'm hesitant to believe anything I hear or read from the press, unless it's printed in a trustworthy newspaper or spoken by one of the two or three trustworthy anchors on television.  (And, even then, I prefer it to be backed up by foreign newspapers, too.)  I have heard that there were some fairly deep connections between the 9/11 hijackers and the UAE, along with other more-superficial terrorism ties.  But that's the extent of my "knowledge".

I don't see anything wrong with reviewing the proposal.

Be nice to America. Or we'll bring democracy to your country.