If you want to know the truth about anything in the mideast...Refer to the media of the enemy country (Not actually enemies, all brothers in conferences...but tense neighbours..competing economies)
But...There is no reason to believe that Gulf News and KT are objective..They are not...Remember those daily stories of booming Dubai..Now read this...in Arab News offcourse...(Having lived in Dubai I can second that)..Now what would you say to the chest-thumping stories of booming Qatar in Gulf Times??
In his article “Dubai Challenges Many Assumptions About Arab World� (April 17) Ray Hanania told us how the US media had been characterizing Dubai: “A haven for terrorism, a threat to world security and an inappropriate economic partner....� I’d like to know exactly who is saying all these hateful things, making all these incendiary remarks about the Arab world. I read six or seven US newspapers a week and the truth is I never see them. “Americans warned me that Arabs have no sense of humor.� What Americans said this? Where? I lived and worked in Dubai for several years and I assure you that the majority of the population lives in extreme poverty. Not the Emiratis to be sure — although, many of them are underprivileged — but the Pakistani, Filipino, Indian, Bangladeshi etc. laborers live in appalling conditions.
Labor camps, 11-hour days, working outside in 50-degree heat. All this for 750 dirhams a month.
Dubai city itself is largely a facade, most of those skyscrapers are half-empty at best. The five-star hotels, restaurants and bars cater to the Western expat community, tourists and a handful of well-connected others. Check out the Irish Village some Thursday night and tell me who you see there.
Michael Ney, United States published 22 April 2006
Dwellers opinion is being seconded here...
If you want to know the truth about anything in the mideast...Refer to the media of the enemy country (Not actually enemies, all brothers in conferences...but tense neighbours..competing economies)
But...There is no reason to believe that Gulf News and KT are objective..They are not...Remember those daily stories of booming Dubai..Now read this...in Arab News offcourse...(Having lived in Dubai I can second that)..Now what would you say to the chest-thumping stories of booming Qatar in Gulf Times??
http://www.arabnews.com/?page=17§ion=21&d=22&m=4&y=2006&mode=dynamic...
Facts About Dubai
In his article “Dubai Challenges Many Assumptions About Arab World� (April 17) Ray Hanania told us how the US media had been characterizing Dubai: “A haven for terrorism, a threat to world security and an inappropriate economic partner....� I’d like to know exactly who is saying all these hateful things, making all these incendiary remarks about the Arab world. I read six or seven US newspapers a week and the truth is I never see them. “Americans warned me that Arabs have no sense of humor.� What Americans said this? Where? I lived and worked in Dubai for several years and I assure you that the majority of the population lives in extreme poverty. Not the Emiratis to be sure — although, many of them are underprivileged — but the Pakistani, Filipino, Indian, Bangladeshi etc. laborers live in appalling conditions.
Labor camps, 11-hour days, working outside in 50-degree heat. All this for 750 dirhams a month.
Dubai city itself is largely a facade, most of those skyscrapers are half-empty at best. The five-star hotels, restaurants and bars cater to the Western expat community, tourists and a handful of well-connected others. Check out the Irish Village some Thursday night and tell me who you see there.
Michael Ney, United States published 22 April 2006