So I’ve been living in Dubai since last summer. Not because I like the city — I don't — but because my girlfriend lived there when we met and she wasn't quite ready to leave yet. Admittedly the tax benefit is nice too.
Earlier this week we decided to get out however, at least for a couple of weeks, to see how the situation develops without being in the middle of it. The uncertainty of it all and potential for escalation is just not a comfortable situation to be in.
With that said, daily life in Dubai was in fact quite normal still when we left— just a bit more quiet. The Starbucks is open, the sports bar serves cold Guinness, and Domino’s is delivering to your doorstep.
There were missile alerts on our phones maybe once a day, and we could sometimes hear the sound of an explosion, mostly from interceptions I believe. But other than that, if you wouldn't watch the news, you may not even know something was going on.
I’ve seen reports on reputable international news media suggesting that influencers are required to convey a positive image of Dubai in these times— and are being barred from posting anything negative about what’s going on. I don’t know to what extent that’s true — I wouldn’t put it past the local authorities — but I do know that I am myself not some Dubai propagandist or Emir simp, yet I also got the impression that the UAE government is dealing with the attacks quite well, so far at least.
Also on the topic of influencers, I have seen a good amount of schadenfreude on social media etc. with people mocking the "influencer class" that now finds itself in the middle of rocket fire. I get it and part of me even feels the same way. But you know, most people in Dubai aren't influencers.
In fact, most people in Dubai are actually guest workers from places like South and Southeast Asia that work in the UAE to send money back to their family. And if shit really would hit the fan, guess who'll actually be most likely to get stuck there without an easy way home? Yeah probably not the influencer class.
If things in Dubai do take a turn for the worse from here and we don't return, I won't miss the city personally— but I will feel bad for these millions of people that were just living their lives peacefully until the jihadist regime across the sea decided to drag them into a war none of them had anything to do with, and no one wanted to be part of.
Replies (26)
Appreciate the perspective. Sending hugs & hopefully you'll have a couple peaceful months going forward.
Glad you were able to get out and that the city is still ok. Hopefully it stays that way.
Why is Iran dragging Dubai in then? Is Dubai supporting US and Israeli logistics?
Well written. I think a few people need to read that last paragraph a few times, and really digest it.
Hope it works out for you, Aaron.
There is a US airbase in Abu Dhabi, but the UAE government is explicitly not letting the Americans use it to attack Iran. Nevertheless this is the excuse the IRGC is giving: they say they’re “just” attacking US bases and assets. (If true they would appear to have very bad aim.)
It seems more like the Jihadist regime is basically taking the entire region hostage to gain leverage in this war.
Still. The US started it. I am not excusing anyone here.
Happy you are safe and out! Appreciate the write up.
I have friends in Iran that celebrate the US attacking the Iranian "regime", yet I fear they will not be happy with whatever comes next. The goal is not to fix Iran. This is all about Israel's expansion and they couldn't care less about the people of Iran 😕
Good post, and I agree with your sentiment regarding people being too insensitive. I have a lot of friends and business partners in the UAE. Still I think this post needs a bit more perspective than the cartoonish depiction of the “jihadi” hell bent on destruction. If your country was being attacked, unprovoked, by a nation that has fully earned the nickname ‘the Great Satan’ all around the world, and you could hit this Great Satan in the wallet where it really hurts, by destabilising its vassals, what would you do? There is no way Iran can win a war of attrition against those bloodthirsty maniacs. They can only make it unsustainable for them, and that’s exactly what they’re doing. Bear in mind that Iran, as a mountainous fortress of a country, could very easily target energy infrastructure and de-salination plants in the flat, exposed desert countries in the region and really pull the curtain on them. They haven’t done that yet. Because they don’t want to destroy them. They want them to turn against their master and pressure them to end the aggression. That’s literally all they are asking for: for international law to be respected along with their sovereignty. They’re not 2D cartoons of bearded men with a turban and bombs strapped to their vest. They’re a nation of people telling the America and Israeli demons to get off their fucking lawn.
I hear you. Disruption from out of the blue. We had UK friends move there last summer w/ their 10 year old for a work opportunity and better lifestyle.
My cousin was stranded there for a week and eventually exited the country via Oman. She was petrified but indicated everything very well-managed. Now back home safely. We are very lucky to have a reasonably peaceful life which mostly doesn’t cross my mind.
Hope it works out but as you say, it’s more important for the folks who travel abroad for work to support their families at home.
Letting Iran get nuclear weapons would be an absolute disaster; letting them build shahed drones by the tens of thousands, both themselves and in partnership with Russia, was already a disaster. I personally have seen the results of that here in Ukraine.
"Who started it" doesn't even matter. They're extremist Jew-hating, Russia allied, islamists who have directly and indirectly killed tens of thousands of good people this year alone. The faster Iran's islamists are wiped out the better.
Hopefully that doesn't need to involve destroying all of Iran in the process. But that's ultimately up to the people of Iran to reject extremist Islam. If they fail to do that soon we should permanently crush their economy to ensure they won't be a threat in the future.
“The goal is not to fix Iran”. So tired of people knowing for certain what the motives are. Be honest, you don’t know, you think you know. Big difference. We should stop larping being experts
It’s a jihadist regime that killed thousands, perhaps tens of thousands, of its own citizens earlier this year.
Even if that were true (and I won’t bother disputing figures nor profiles of the people killed) what is worse, a “jihadist regime” that killed tens of thousands of its own citizens, or a “zionist/christo-fascist regime” that killed TENS OF MILLIONS of other nations’ citizens across the world through direct military intervention, sanctions, coups, and has been at war with someone for literally its entire existence? Do we really want to play this game?
I'm writing this from a coffee shop in Kyiv that has a spent artillery propellant charge tube holding up a flower pot... Pretty typical decoration around here.
I think you are a great example of how Dubai could easily lose _very_ badly in this war, even though objectively there isn't all that much hazard. Because Dubai has attracted so many people for tax and business reasons who don't really like the city, and have never put down real roots there, they have a large population who have no interest in supporting Dubai when times get a bit tougher. That's not a slight on you. It's just rational: why put up with that for Dubai?
In Kyiv even after the worst winter in the entire war, with power cuts so severe that you might get two hours a day of power, and hundreds of buildings had to turn off the water due to frozen pipes, there's still lots of _new_ businesses opening. Like the coffee shop I'm in right now. The population still here cares about winning and sees a future in Ukraine. And Ukraine is worth saving.
I think there's a high chance this ends relatively quickly because the US and Israel have the military capabilities to really crush Iran's ability to fight. In that circumstance Dubai can probably bounce back.
But if this doesn't end quickly, e.g. maybe due to some bullshit pseudo-ceasefire from Trump losing interest, all it would take is for Iran to keep launching a few attacks a week at Dubai and the wider UAE to keep businesses and the airports fucked up.
How is this concept so hard for people to grasp? Iran is being attacked by two nuclear powers, Israel and the US. This is a war of aggression that started in the middle of negotiations because…checks notes (Iran was days away from a nuclear weapon, we needed to free Iranians, Iran has ballistic missiles, Iran has a Navy, Israel was about to attack so we had to join, etc.).
Here’s an idea. Take a step back and ask what justifies the US to have their bases all over the world? What gives the US the high ground to then use the fact that they have bases everywhere, to then say that a sovereign nations home
military is a threat to those US bases/allies, lol? What gives the US authority to decide whether a sovereign nation can have a Navy and/or have ballistic missiles? What gives the US the authority to assassinate (or kidnap) world leaders? What gives the US the right to actively attack a sovereign nations currency in the hopes that the chaos will foment regime change? What gives the US and Israel the right to destroy all of Iran’s infrastructure (bombing elementary schools, hospitals, police stations, gas stations, desalination plants, etc.)? What gives the US the moral high ground to determine how (and for how long) a sovereign nation responds when attacked?
When it comes to retaliating against the US, Iran cannot strike the US homeland w/conventional warfare. So, they are attacking US bases in the region, retaliating against infrastructure, and stopping the flow of through the Straight. The sad, yet true thing about the US is that we continue to sleepwalk through all kinds of aggressions and tragedies because they occur in far away lands. However, one thing that will grab the US’ attention is $. So, destroying our bases abroad and impacting global economies is logical.
💯 And that's why I am supporting and will keep supporting Ukrainian people. I can't do much, but at least I can donate towards their ✌️
Imagine being so flippant about the lives of others. Since you have no issue disregarding the lives of others, I tweaked a few words for you.
Who started it" doesn't even matter.” They're extremist Goy-hating, US allied, Zionist who have directly and indirectly killed 70k+ of Palestinians. The faster Zionist extremism is wiped out the better.
No offense taken, I think this is exactly right. And both the Iranian and the UAE governments probably know this as well.
To be fair, I have seen some “we’re not fucking leaving” sentiment among expats. But as mentioned daily life is also still pretty normal; I doubt it will persist for very long if things keep getting tougher from here.
Ditto 💪
This 👍❤️
Congratulations- you’re retarded!
Where are you getting these numbers? Regardless, have you bothered to think about the US and Israel’s role in the deaths tied to protesters/provocateurs?
The shallowness of most American’s thoughts tied to what occurred is astounding. The US wants/wanted regime change (this is clear from the actions that followed, including killing their leader (and a religious leader)). Bessent bragged about how the US collapsed the Iranian currency, and the instability it caused. Pompeo and Mossad openly talked about being on the ground and providing weapons to the protesters (for regime change). These provocateurs were burning down infrastructure, including mosques.
If you lack the intellect to see a clear false flag, you’re truly regarded.
I wonder who the world collectively consideres more of a terrorist state, the US or Iran?
I would bet it's the former.
Did you travel to Dubai for the child sex tourism or in order to take photos on a rented boat flexing money you don't actually have?
USA has occupation bases in UAE where they launch attacks from.
