Looks like they've decided to splurge some of their oil billions on diversifying their economy and making it a tourist mecca, so that should the oil ever run out, they have a stable economy apart from the oil. Looks like they're also aiming to be a financial center and shipping center as well as a upscale tourist hub. Pretty smart overall, ultimately, and it's interesting to see a leader taking the long view.
UAE does not have the oil reserves many other gulf countries do. Their first and foremost business is business and trade. Jebel Ali, Abu Dhabi and Dubai are huge in shipping and recieving and the ports in UAE are some of the busiest in the world.
It was like this when I was there in the 90s, and their focus on economy and growth is paying off.
What saves a man is to take a step. Then another step. – C. S. Lewis
Raymond S. Kraft wrote:The history of the world is the history of civilizational clashes, cultural clashes. All wars are about ideas, ideas about what society and civilization should be like, and the most determined always win.
Those who are willing to be the most ruthless always win. The pacifists always lose, because the anti-pacifists kill them.
it's a new Babylon. I wouldn't doubt if something came through and flattened all of that. My life is different having seen those pictures. The man-made islands are incredible.
lol They're surrounded by the fanatical islam, I say it's only a matter of time before we get to read headlines about 200,000 japs and germans get blown to pieces in Dubailand. Or "Worlds Tallest Building collapses into the sea ontop of two retarded man made Islands. Terrorists plot suspected".
Last edited by Tuggan on Thu Apr 05, 2007 1:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.
It looks like Las Vegas in the Middle East. Plus the whole nation is rather Westernized. I'm sure that rocks the boat for many strict muslims. Such as their psychotic neighbors to the south who are still beheading people for not following islamic law.
I'm sure that rocks the boat for many strict muslims. Such as their psychotic neighbors to the south who are still beheading people for not following islamic law.
I wouldn't be surprised if they said "fuck it" and built a dome around the entire thing.
Tuggan wrote:It looks like Las Vegas in the Middle East. Plus the whole nation is rather Westernized. I'm sure that rocks the boat for many strict muslims. Such as their psychotic neighbors to the south who are still beheading people for not following islamic law.
To the south of UAE is Saudi and Oman, which is also a fairly lax country without any real issues. Saudi follows Sharia Law but its territory south of UAE is desert and sparsely populated, and not a threat at all.
If you meant Yemen, it borders Oman and Saudi. Not UAE.
What saves a man is to take a step. Then another step. – C. S. Lewis
