Is it me or..
Nov 23rd 2014, 1:49 pm
#1
"Insert witty title here"
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2012
Location: dxb
Posts: 2,251
Is it me or..
..or are these guys really really worried now? Some of the answers werent that candid if you ask me. And more importantly, is it time to start packing?
Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed gets candid on Daesh, Iran and Middle East issues | GulfNews.com
Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed gets candid on Daesh, Iran and Middle East issues | GulfNews.com
Nov 24th 2014, 4:00 am
#2
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Re: Is it me or..
He talks quite alot of sense, regionally speaking. Eventually there will be a terrorist attack on western interests here in the UAE but the risk is currently no greater than in many European countries, so no need to pack your bags just yet. Enjoy the relative peace and security while you can.
Nov 24th 2014, 12:55 pm
#3
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Joined: May 2014
Posts: 182
Re: Is it me or..
There's going to be an attack soon and its gonna be me attacking the next ***ker who flashes his lights at me trying to get by when I'm already hemmed in by cars on either side.....grggghhhhhh
Nov 24th 2014, 1:36 pm
#4
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Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 88
Re: Is it me or..
I wonder what will happen with Dubai if there is ever an attack there (hopefully not!).
UAE and Qatar are so dependent on foreign workers, tourism and being an oasis of peace for people around the region.
UAE and Qatar are so dependent on foreign workers, tourism and being an oasis of peace for people around the region.
Nov 25th 2014, 1:40 am
#5
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 3,889
Re: Is it me or..
I bet the landlords here will be shitting themselves if it does happen.
Nov 25th 2014, 3:40 am
#6
Token Scandinavian Bloke
Joined: Jun 2009
Location: Dubai
Posts: 2,820
Re: Is it me or..
It would obviously depend on how many people are hurt/injured, for us it would take a lot to convince us to leave. I'd say there is as much chance (maybe more) of an attack in the UK at present, far harder to keeps tabs on potential attackers in blighty than it is here.
I bet the landlords here will be shitting themselves if it does happen.
I bet the landlords here will be shitting themselves if it does happen.
Dubai is a huge insulated bubble where people seem to think nothing bad can ever happen. I personally think this is a load of bollocks and if the loonies are after the largest possible impact Dubai would logically be the number one target. If there god forbid was an incident I think the rush of people leaving more or less immediately would be massive, the tourism industry would practically fall apart overnight and the economy would be imploding. Landlords would of course be for the want of a better word f**ked!
Add to this that the oil prices are predicted to hit $60 soon and the future of the petroleum producing countries in the ME is potentially looking a lot less rosy...
Last edited by norsk; Nov 25th 2014 at 4:20 am.
Nov 25th 2014, 5:03 am
#7
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Joined: May 2014
Posts: 32
Re: Is it me or..
There's a terror attack in the UK, but it's home. Your family is there. Your friends are there. You can't pack up and leave. People in the UK are already used to the periodic terror attacks, starting with the IRA bombings then the Islamic terrorist bombs.
But if there was a big terrorist attack in the UAE targeting a popular destination such as the Dubai Mall, you'd suddenly feel vulnerable. The Dubai bubble would disappear completely and the realities of being isolated in a hostile region would be very apparent. Your family and friends aren't around to provide moral support. You'd feel lonely.
Many people are pragmatic enough to know that one terror attack is just that, but it would serve as a catalyst to reanalyse your position and move on. Single women and Americans would go first.
If I were a terrorist and wanted to target Westerners in the UAE I'd focus on the Rugby 7s stadium. Every time I went to a 7s game the thought always occurred to me. Minimal security, heavily Western with few if any locals and few Muslims altogether.
But if there was a big terrorist attack in the UAE targeting a popular destination such as the Dubai Mall, you'd suddenly feel vulnerable. The Dubai bubble would disappear completely and the realities of being isolated in a hostile region would be very apparent. Your family and friends aren't around to provide moral support. You'd feel lonely.
Many people are pragmatic enough to know that one terror attack is just that, but it would serve as a catalyst to reanalyse your position and move on. Single women and Americans would go first.
If I were a terrorist and wanted to target Westerners in the UAE I'd focus on the Rugby 7s stadium. Every time I went to a 7s game the thought always occurred to me. Minimal security, heavily Western with few if any locals and few Muslims altogether.
You are probably right, but the UK does have the benefit of not being located in the ME. Decisions on whether to leave somewhere for reasons of perceived danger are usually taken based on gut-feeling not hard facts, and it will certainly feel a lot more dangerous living here if there suddenly is a larger police/military presence on the streets or people start believing an attack is likely.
Dubai is a huge insulated bubble where people seem to think nothing bad can ever happen. I personally think this is a load of bollocks and if the loonies are after the largest possible impact Dubai would logically be the number one target. If there god forbid was an incident I think the rush of people leaving more or less immediately would be massive, the tourism industry would practically fall apart overnight and the economy would be imploding. Landlords would of course be for the want of a better word f**ked!
Add to this that the oil prices are predicted to hit $60 soon and the future of the petroleum producing countries in the ME is potentially looking a lot less rosy...
Dubai is a huge insulated bubble where people seem to think nothing bad can ever happen. I personally think this is a load of bollocks and if the loonies are after the largest possible impact Dubai would logically be the number one target. If there god forbid was an incident I think the rush of people leaving more or less immediately would be massive, the tourism industry would practically fall apart overnight and the economy would be imploding. Landlords would of course be for the want of a better word f**ked!
Add to this that the oil prices are predicted to hit $60 soon and the future of the petroleum producing countries in the ME is potentially looking a lot less rosy...
Nov 25th 2014, 5:21 am
#8
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Joined: Aug 2009
Location: Disneyland, Dubai
Posts: 15,887
Re: Is it me or..
There's a terror attack in the UK, but it's home. Your family is there. Your friends are there. You can't pack up and leave. People in the UK are already used to the periodic terror attacks, starting with the IRA bombings then the Islamic terrorist bombs.
But if there was a big terrorist attack in the UAE targeting a popular destination such as the Dubai Mall, you'd suddenly feel vulnerable. The Dubai bubble would disappear completely and the realities of being isolated in a hostile region would be very apparent. Your family and friends aren't around to provide moral support. You'd feel lonely.
Many people are pragmatic enough to know that one terror attack is just that, but it would serve as a catalyst to reanalyse your position and move on. Single women and Americans would go first.
If I were a terrorist and wanted to target Westerners in the UAE I'd focus on the Rugby 7s stadium. Every time I went to a 7s game the thought always occurred to me. Minimal security, heavily Western with few if any locals and few Muslims altogether.
But if there was a big terrorist attack in the UAE targeting a popular destination such as the Dubai Mall, you'd suddenly feel vulnerable. The Dubai bubble would disappear completely and the realities of being isolated in a hostile region would be very apparent. Your family and friends aren't around to provide moral support. You'd feel lonely.
Many people are pragmatic enough to know that one terror attack is just that, but it would serve as a catalyst to reanalyse your position and move on. Single women and Americans would go first.
If I were a terrorist and wanted to target Westerners in the UAE I'd focus on the Rugby 7s stadium. Every time I went to a 7s game the thought always occurred to me. Minimal security, heavily Western with few if any locals and few Muslims altogether.
Nov 25th 2014, 5:24 am
#9
Token Scandinavian Bloke
Joined: Jun 2009
Location: Dubai
Posts: 2,820
Re: Is it me or..
There's a terror attack in the UK, but it's home. Your family is there. Your friends are there. You can't pack up and leave. People in the UK are already used to the periodic terror attacks, starting with the IRA bombings then the Islamic terrorist bombs.
But if there was a big terrorist attack in the UAE targeting a popular destination such as the Dubai Mall, you'd suddenly feel vulnerable. The Dubai bubble would disappear completely and the realities of being isolated in a hostile region would be very apparent. Your family and friends aren't around to provide moral support. You'd feel lonely.
Many people are pragmatic enough to know that one terror attack is just that, but it would serve as a catalyst to reanalyse your position and move on. Single women and Americans would go first.
If I were a terrorist and wanted to target Westerners I'd focus on the Rugby 7s stadium....
But if there was a big terrorist attack in the UAE targeting a popular destination such as the Dubai Mall, you'd suddenly feel vulnerable. The Dubai bubble would disappear completely and the realities of being isolated in a hostile region would be very apparent. Your family and friends aren't around to provide moral support. You'd feel lonely.
Many people are pragmatic enough to know that one terror attack is just that, but it would serve as a catalyst to reanalyse your position and move on. Single women and Americans would go first.
If I were a terrorist and wanted to target Westerners I'd focus on the Rugby 7s stadium....
Don't be silly. Americans would leave before the single women.
Nov 25th 2014, 5:41 am
#10
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Joined: May 2014
Posts: 182
Re: Is it me or..
As long as they don't leave with the single women..
Nov 25th 2014, 6:34 am
#11
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Re: Is it me or..
And you could say your suicide belt was fancy dress...getting in the spirit n all that
Nov 25th 2014, 9:43 am
#12
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Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 88
Re: Is it me or..
norsk and Ethos82 got completely my point.
It seems the UAE has approved a new anti-terror law
UAE anti-terror law is 'toughest in 40 years' | GulfNews.com
But according to experts', Dubai is unlikely to be a terrorist target any time soon:
Dubai: Terrorist Target? | Security Management
It seems the UAE has approved a new anti-terror law
UAE anti-terror law is 'toughest in 40 years' | GulfNews.com
But according to experts', Dubai is unlikely to be a terrorist target any time soon:
Dubai: Terrorist Target? | Security Management
Other experts say terrorists will not target Dubai because they might hurt their own money laundering operations, which benefit from the emirate�s position as a hub for finance, commerce, and international tourism.
"I don't think any terrorist organization will conduct any huge operation in Dubai or in the UAE, because it's just like shooting yourself in the foot," says Rabih Fayad, intelligence manager for the Middle East and Africa for International SOS. Money laundering is facilitated by the UAE's status as a major financial center, light regulation of informal banking, and the country's use as a transshipment point for drugs from Southwest Asia.
Politically, Fayad says Dubai does not incite the fury of extremists because it is not viewed as a 'pro-Western Muppet' like nearby Saudi Arabia. "The ruling family is not known to say yes all the time" to Western wishes, he says. Case in point, Dubai refused to allow Western coalition troops to use its facilities during Desert Storm.
And whereas the heavy Western presence in Dubai would seem to make it a juicy target for terrorists, security analysts say the opposite is true based on a lack of indigenous dissent and the high standard of living enjoyed by all.
Dubai is unusual in that its population of 1.3 million people consists mainly of expatriates. The majority hails from South Asia and Southeast Asia, while the bars, restaurants, and offices teem with more than 100,000 Britons and other Westerners.
The relative minority of nationals enjoy a per capita income among the highest in the world. "There is no large section of disenfranchised indigenous people here," says James Le Mesurier, an advisor for Olive Group, a global security risk and management company headquartered locally.
The risk of a terrorist attack is also mitigated by the security measures the emirate has implemented at its borders. In addition, the government has begun shoring up its military, with help from the West. "There is a lot of spending here by the Brits and by the Americans with regard to the UAE armed forces�and lots of training," says Stuart Adam, regional security advisor for International SOS in the Middle East and Africa.
"I don't think any terrorist organization will conduct any huge operation in Dubai or in the UAE, because it's just like shooting yourself in the foot," says Rabih Fayad, intelligence manager for the Middle East and Africa for International SOS. Money laundering is facilitated by the UAE's status as a major financial center, light regulation of informal banking, and the country's use as a transshipment point for drugs from Southwest Asia.
Politically, Fayad says Dubai does not incite the fury of extremists because it is not viewed as a 'pro-Western Muppet' like nearby Saudi Arabia. "The ruling family is not known to say yes all the time" to Western wishes, he says. Case in point, Dubai refused to allow Western coalition troops to use its facilities during Desert Storm.
And whereas the heavy Western presence in Dubai would seem to make it a juicy target for terrorists, security analysts say the opposite is true based on a lack of indigenous dissent and the high standard of living enjoyed by all.
Dubai is unusual in that its population of 1.3 million people consists mainly of expatriates. The majority hails from South Asia and Southeast Asia, while the bars, restaurants, and offices teem with more than 100,000 Britons and other Westerners.
The relative minority of nationals enjoy a per capita income among the highest in the world. "There is no large section of disenfranchised indigenous people here," says James Le Mesurier, an advisor for Olive Group, a global security risk and management company headquartered locally.
The risk of a terrorist attack is also mitigated by the security measures the emirate has implemented at its borders. In addition, the government has begun shoring up its military, with help from the West. "There is a lot of spending here by the Brits and by the Americans with regard to the UAE armed forces�and lots of training," says Stuart Adam, regional security advisor for International SOS in the Middle East and Africa.
Nov 26th 2014, 6:43 am
#13
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Re: Is it me or..
As long as I can still do both brunches this weekend and get my lunch delivered it's alright.
Seriously though, an attack here seems like those doing it would be punching the man holding their bollocks.
Seriously though, an attack here seems like those doing it would be punching the man holding their bollocks.
Nov 26th 2014, 7:25 am
#14
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Re: Is it me or..
thats based on the assumption that 'they' who want to attack are just one group with all of them having the same objectives / mindset.
I would think there are more than many subsections within 'them'.
Dont get me wrong, am not scaremongering or anything, I am very happy here and dont want to leave at all, atleast for the near future. But I would like to think that something more than finances is keeping the dogs at bay.
Nov 26th 2014, 8:48 am
#15
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Re: Is it me or..
well...
thats based on the assumption that 'they' who want to attack are just one group with all of them having the same objectives / mindset.
I would think there are more than many subsections within 'them'.
Dont get me wrong, am not scaremongering or anything, I am very happy here and dont want to leave at all, atleast for the near future. But I would like to think that something more than finances is keeping the dogs at bay.
thats based on the assumption that 'they' who want to attack are just one group with all of them having the same objectives / mindset.
I would think there are more than many subsections within 'them'.
Dont get me wrong, am not scaremongering or anything, I am very happy here and dont want to leave at all, atleast for the near future. But I would like to think that something more than finances is keeping the dogs at bay.
I see it 'less than', rather than 'more than' likely to happen. But I also suggest that none of us really have the blindest clue.