Dubai: A Retirement Community?

The Dubai deal that Bush is promising to push through, even if it requires violating his virginal veto power, is at least as stupid as everyone says.

Dubai, the fastest growing city in the world, is also one of the most ridiculous. It has a Taj Majal that is 3/4 as big as the original. It has snow-skiing in a huge indoor stadium, with five runs, one of them a black diamond. It dredges the ocean floor to get sand to build islands in the sea that will house more condos, hotels and office buildings. One developer is creating islands that imitate the geography of the earth. Recently he hired a famed golfer to hit a ball from 'Greenland' to 'Iceland' as a promotion. It's in the process of constructing the tallest building in the world. In order to attract the tourists it wants to cultivate, prostitution is rampant. Famous for it's camel racing, it doesn't admit to still using young slaves, boys generally under 10 years old, as camel-jockeys. But photos of the young slaves were taken in Dubai in 2004 by anti-slavery.org. UAEPrison.org reports that "Abuses also happen in Dubai,which human rights activists say is the center of the child slave trade."

And it's a monarchy. An oligarchy of five families controls everything that goes on. If the deal goes through, the ruling family, the Maktoums, would be running our ports.The Christian Science Monitor notes that "it is arguably less democratic than even neighboring Saudi Arabia." There is a native population of about 150,000, out of a total population of about 1.3 million - the vast majority of which are foreign nationals; laborers from Asia earning horrible wages in construction and as domestics.

The Guardian noted that the ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, runs Dubai "like a private enterprise. The Maktoums own everything and there is virtually no political or press freedom." The family is staking their future on making the city a banking, shipping, and tourist mecca. They envision themselves as the New World capital.

Bush calls Dubai an ally in the war on terror. Yet in July 2001, after the embassy bombings in Nairobi and Dar and shortly before 9/11 - where did Osama go to get medical treatment? Dubai. (AFP, LeFigaro *)

In fact, it is curious that after bombing Saudi Arabia several times; Egypt and Jordan this year as well, Bin Laden has not attacked the muchmore heretical Dubai. Alcohol is everywhere, as well as prostitution, and bikinis are almost required on the beachs. It also has much less security. The C.S. Monitor states that one reason for this is "that Dubai is still a useful place for the illicit transfer of funds - for example through the hawala system"... "referring to the traditional paperless money-transfer system believed to play a key role in terrorist financing."

So Bush is once again putting his faith into an unelected, anti-democratic dictator - a man who depends on the kindness of Bin Laden. Dubai is far more reliant on tourism, the West, and the appearance of stability than Saudi Arabia or Jordan. Both Bin Laden and Sheikh Mohammed Maktoum know that a little bombing at a building a little higher than the World Trade Centerwould do immense damage. Bin Laden has the capacity to destroy the City State of Dubai if it did not cooperate with him.

Although many consider the Sheikh a genius for all of the wealth he has brought to his tiny kingdom, I question his judgment in this deal. He has to know that the next administration in Washington will not be nearly as feckless as Bush's. Is it smart to maneuver your country/company right smack into the middle of a war?

The only possible logical explanation is that both Bush and Bin Laden have decided to retire there. It has a really luxe life style, and is sort of the ultimate gated community. Bin Laden could buy Iceland, while W goes for Greenland. They can chip shots across the sea at each other. They could also be sure that the U.S. would not bomb a city where a former President lived, and no Arab State could attack Bin Laden's home. War Crime Tribunals are very unlikely in Dubai.

(Sorry this is not the original link, but it does refer to the article)