Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England told a Senate panel that: "The UAE today is a good friend and a good ally. They stand side by side with us in the war on terrorism."

For the Pentagon, the United Arab Emirates offers the region's only deep-water port and dry-dock facility, large enough to take in aircraft carriers and nuclear subs. Two of its ports, including the DP World-administered Jebel Ali Port in Dubai, host more U.S. naval visits than any other facility outside the United States. The country also hosts major airbases for U.S. refueling and surveillance flights.

Additionally, Emirates central bank officials have strengthened anti-money-laundering and terror-financing laws and have greatly increased oversight of their financial system. The United Arab Emirates is also the only country in the Middle East that allows U.S. customs inspectors to check cargo headed to America.

Could Bush have done a better job in handling all of this? Sure. The president made some clear political marketing mistakes. In particular, he should have opened up the black box of executive review and shared it with members of Congress. Transparency in government is always a good thing.

But in the end, America ought to honor its word. We have a duty to keep our promise to Dubai Ports and the Emirates, a country that deserves the same fair treatment we give all our allies. There is no room for prejudice or bigotry here.

Make no mistake about it. What is going on right now on cable news channels, in the newspapers and over the Internet is simple Islamophobia. The Democrats who are vocally against the deal are assuredly motivated by political gain. But Republicans should know better. If we're to win the fight against the Islamofascists, a tiny minority of the Muslim community, we cannot afford to erect political, trade or commercial barriers against those Arab nations who have aligned themselves with the United States in the terror war and who wish to do business with us as part of that alliance.

Repulsing them is just plain stupid. Tearing down barriers to promote global connectivity is a much better strategy wherever it makes national-security sense.

Dubai has offered its help. We should take it.