lace7725

Below is a warning issued by the US Embassy ... My husband was offered a job in Dubai. Am I being silly in thinking we should not move there? What would you do?
Thank you!

Threat closes U.S. Embassy
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - The U.S. Embassy and the American consular office in the United Arab Emirates have closed temporarily because of a "specific threat" against the embassy received Wednesday morning, a U.S. spokeswoman said. Hilary Olsin-Windecker, spokeswoman for the U.S. Embassy in Abu Dhabi, refused to comment on the nature of the threat or how it was received. It came two days after Israeli forces assassinated the founder of the Hamas militant group in the Gaza Strip, which prompted immediate calls for revenge against Israeli and American targets. The United States expressed concern about the killing, but Washington is widely viewed in the region as able but unwilling to curb Israeli policies toward the Palestinians such as that of "targeted killings."
"The embassy in Abu Dhabi and consulate in Dubai have temporarily suspended operation on Wednesday, March 24, in light of a specific threat to the embassy in Abu Dhabi," Olsin-Windecker said, reading a prepared statement. She said the threat was received early Wednesday morning. She said the security situation will be reviewed over the Thursday-Friday weekend in the Emirates, when the U.S. offices also regularly are closed, to determine whether it will reopen on Saturday. We have no specific threat information against the American community in the UAE," Olsin-Windecker added. However, she noted the U.S. State Department has issued new worldwide and Middle East-North Africa public cautions in light of the Israeli killing Monday of Sheik Ahmed Yassin. She said she was unaware of any threats to other U.S. embassies in the region.

U.S. President George W. Bush expressed concern Tuesday about a Hamas threat against the United States. "We take every threat seriously in this administration," Bush told reporters in Washington. On Tuesday, the U.S. State Department issued an alert for the Middle East and North Africa saying it is "deeply concerned about the heightened threat of terrorist attacks against U.S. citizens and interests abroad in the aftermath of the recent killing of Hamas leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin in Gaza."

"The Department is also concerned about the potential for demonstrations and violent actions against U.S. citizens and interests in the region and throughout the world in response to his death," the warning read. It urged vigilance and specified the Persian Gulf, Arabian Peninsula, Red Sea and North Africa as areas where terror actions could target transportation and maritime interests. It said "credible information" has indicated terrorist groups may be planning attacks against American interests.

Nevi

To be honest, I don't think anyone in Dubai is taking that much notice of it. So I don't think there is any need to reconsider moving out here.

CalgaryAMC

To emigrate anywhere you need to be made of stern stuff. These sorts of things can be commonplace.

I have lived in Dubai. I didn't ever feel concerned for my safety. Things may have changed since then. My friends there say that there is a little bit more concern for personal safety since 9/11 but on the whole it's as it always was. Incidentally, I was also in Tripoli during the 1986 bombing.

You must develop a certain tolerance to the unexpected and unusual, and a sardonic sense of humour would not hurt either.

Statistically you have a greater chance of being shot in Houston, if that helps any.

Desert Dweller

It's just the paranoid tanks- ignore them and look at all the other embassies and see what they're doing.

philipz

American embassy now open.

http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayA...on=theuae&col=