Differing Views Offered on Storm Over Ports

Two professors at two of Missouri’s biggest universities find themselves on opposite ends of the debate over foreign ownership of American ports. Robert Baum teaches religious studies at the University of Missouri in Columbia. He worries the real reason for the outrage over the proposed takeover of six American ports by the United Arab Emirates government company is based in racism against Arabs and Muslims. But Mehrdad Haghayeghi, who runs Missouri State University’s International Affairs masters program, argues the port company is in the heart of where terrorists are coming from. Haghayeghi also argues the UAE might not have the credentials to run ports the size of the American ones. Baum worries killing the deal will kill any good feelings about America in the Arab world.