Comments on: No Terrorism in Dubai? Just you wait.

By: gacetillero

gacetillero — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 22:56:07 +0000

People have been talking about an attack in Dubai for a while, but it is still yet to happen. My gut feeling, from covering the place for a while, is that their intelligence is very good when it comes to ‘home-grown’ disgruntlement, but less good when it comes to expats. Hence, no bombings as yet, but the occasional strike by labourers that catches the world’s attention.

As for the white expats – while the Dubayyis may not approve of the way that they live, the Dubayyis also know that they’re not about to start agitating for human rights or some such. The local elite will still cream the top off the economy, pass some of it down to favoured locals, and foreigners will do all the donkey work (although only some of them will be grateful for the opportunity).

By: Joe Jones

Joe Jones — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 10:10:24 +0000

Given the ridiculously broad extent of the UAE’s consulting with the US and UK on national defense, I would expect that they are working very closely with US and UK authorities on counter-terrorism as well.

By: Arherring

Arherring — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 16:54:40 +0000

Felix Dzerzhinsky raises an interesting point. What is Dubai doing to prevent such a terrorist attack and are they reaching across their borders for hired talent to tackle that problem?

By: Jing

Jing — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 17:59:08 +0000

Dubai is a dystopian shit hole built by oil money and tax free status populated by a oligarchical elite of nepotistic arab oil tycoons and sycophantic western parasites and enablers. It is two cities in one with with the wealthy walking above not with the teaming myriads of third world labourers imported to build everything, except of course when the wealthy men both local and foreign want some cheap whores.

By: Felix Dzerzhinsky

Felix Dzerzhinsky — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 05:12:32 +0000

Perhaps soon Dubai will be requiring the services of mercenaries – cough, cough – Private Military/Security Contractors. I might be able to offer the services of the Felix Dzerzhinsky Workers Defence Collective.

By: Bob Morris

Bob Morris — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 02:44:50 +0000

According to the new book, McMafia, Dubai is a major haven for money laundering. They ask no questions about where money comes or about where it goes.

Which could account for much of its popularity.

By: Smitten Eagle

Smitten Eagle — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 15:37:52 +0000

Bear in mind that some of the worlds largest defense and security contracts are negotiated in Dubai. These contractors, I’m sure, would be more than delighted to help out the small desert paradise of Dubai.

Should an attack occur, I have little doubt that Dubai would quickly become a Sin City with a security apparatus on the scale of London’s.

By: Jay@Soob

Jay@Soob — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 01:25:11 +0000

Great analysis but:
Just one terrorist attack would have such an effect?

By: Mitch H.

Mitch H. — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 20:31:18 +0000

Seriously? There are people stupid enough to go to the Persian Gulf and prance around like it’s the Rivera?

I’m sorry, but if true, then that’s evolution in action.

Funny, I thought I’d heard stories about Philipino & Indian wage-serfs being penned in like cattle on the outskirts. Now we’re supposed to believe in underprivileged seething bedouin in banlieues next door to the wage-slave-pens of Dubai, their noses leaving grease stains on the window-panes of the Oil-tick Good Life?

By: Benjamin Walthrop

Benjamin Walthrop — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 19:34:12 +0000

That is an incredibly striking picture that clearly demonstrates the cultural divide. Just from a personal perspective, I would like to envision a world that the opposing views could meet in the middle, but as you can see the gap is very wide.