United (or not) Arab Emirates, an Arab and not-so-Arab state bordering Saudi Arabia and the sultanate of Oman, makes heavy investments in creating a light international image of a prosperous, peaceful and thriving place.
Non-citizen migrant workers, the serving class, make up the overwhelming majority of its estimated 8 million population.
Dubai, one of seven sheikhdoms that make up the Emirates, is restlessly ambitious and will try any gimmick to grab the headlines.
People have a sense of a humor that will grate on your decency.
Those living in the Emirates are constantly fed so much glossy propaganda that they suffer withdrawal symptoms the moment the make-believe reality machines go low on productivity.
Below are a few links to present a more realistic picture of the Emirates (E.nglish M.anaged I.ndian R.un A.nd (local) A.rabs T.aking E.normous S.alaries).
A UAE Royal Family member, Sheikh Issa, tortures an Afghan businessman in this video
Tuesday 7 April 2009, The Independent newspaper published 'The dark side of Dubai' by Johann Hari
Dubai was meant to be a Middle-Eastern Shangri-La, a glittering monument to Arab enterprise and western capitalism. But as hard times arrive in the city state that rose from the desert sands, an uglier story is emerging.
'This cruel game has to stop, if the Arab kings love this sport that much then they should put their own children on the camels and then race them.' Child camel jockeys
Fly Emirates, land in jail: Emirates’ Laws Trap a Doctor Just Passing Through
The world is our hunting ground: In a remote corner of northern Tanzania, Boeing 747 planes land on a private airstrip, trucks with United Arab Emirates (UAE) number plates drive across the plains, and anyone with a cell phone receives an unlikely text message: "Dear guest, welcome to UAE."
