Head Count

Saudi executed three more murderers in December bringing the total for the year to 62.

The radio has gone silent concerning the Kohail brothers. The good news is that they are still alive. The bad is that they are still in a Saudi prison.

Burj Dubai Plot

Israeli news service YNET has a story about an Iranian plot to blow up Burj Dubai. According to the story, Dubai Police have arrested 45 people associated with the plot.

Khaleej Times reports that the Dubai Police claim that the plot doesn't exist.

Who to believe?

Free

Michael Joslin, the American that was incarcerated in Dubai for carrying a handgun in his checked baggage, was freed this week. There is no information concerning the reason why he was released although his Congressman and Senator Arlen Specter did have meetings with Dubai officials in Washington.

Needless to say, he won't be travelling through Dubai ever again.

I'm glad that he is back with his family. He was stupid to try to carry a handgun into Afghanistan and I don't condone his actions. But I think Dubai did the right thing and avoided a lot of bad press by deporting him. They should have done the same with the Brit adulterers and Sex on the Beach couple.

Dummy!

It now appears that the American arrested for carry a gun in his luggage while transiting Dubai did it of his own volition against company policy.

While speaking from a pay phone that he operated through calling cards from weekly commissary trips at the Dubai Airport Deportation Center, Joslin said he was not aware that he needed to get approval for the weapon or the medication and never told EMW his intentions of bringing them.

“It was my decision,” the father of three said, calling EMW a “solid company.”

While the EMW attorney stated that the contract Joslin was scheduled to work in Afghanistan strictly prohibits contractor personnel from carrying firearms in theater, Joslin said he did not have a chance to read through his employee contract.

“I didn’t read my contract very thoroughly,” he said.

The guy is not the brightest bulb in the box, and he certainly can't blame anyone else for his troubles, but I still think Dubai should pack him on the next plane out and avoid weeks of possibly negative press.

Here's the article.

American in Dubai Jail

An American is being held in Dubai on weapons charges. He was on his way to Kabul with a layover in Dubai. He had a weapon and presciption pain pills in his checked luggage. The weapon was approved by his employer, EMW of Herndon, Va, and he had alerted Emirates Airlines to it. They, like most airlines, allow unloaded weapons in checked luggage. However, when he arrived in Dubai, he was arrested. There is a disconnect between the airline policy and Dubai's laws prohibiting weapons without express permission from the country. Emirates should have checked that he had permission before allowing the weapon, just like they have to confirm that you have a visa before boarding the plane.

He has since been fired by his employer, who in my opinion, should have better prepared him with information for the trip. If was to carry a weapon in Kabul, he should have been issued one there instead of having him carry one with him, regardless of airline policy. He also does not seem to be getting much help from the local American consulate.

I'm not claiming that this guy is completely innocent but he seems to have fallen between the diplomatic cracks. IMHO, Dubai would get better world press, if they just instantly deported people rather than incarcerating them. I'll see if I can follow up on his plight.

History, Rewritten Again

In BHO's speech from Cairo the other day he stated that a Muslim nation was the first to recognize the US in the Treaty of Tripoli.

What he neglected to say was that the treaty was made because the US had to make protection payments to the Barbary pirates to prevent them from hijacking our ships. (We didn't have a navy at the time so we were forced to pay tribute to the Muslims.) The treaty went south when the Pasha of Tripoli demanded an increase in payments to Thomas Jefferson. This led to the First Barbary War in 1801 and the inclusion of that "shores of Tripoli" line in the Marine Hymn.

BHO's choice of this particular piece of history seems ironic.

Trade with Iran

There is a very good article about the cross Gulf trade between Dubai and Iran. The most amazing thing is that it happens out in the open along Dubai Creek. PE remembers seeing dhows from Iran in Dubai back when they were holding the US hostages and pictures of the Eye-o-tolla (sp) were all over the creek. (PE was in Dubai when the rescue operation failed)

Trade between the two countries has been going on for centuries. I always thought it was a few sailing vessels but the article outlines the sheer extent of trade that is taking place.

It might help explain why the fundamentalist Muslims leave Dubai alone.

Oh, the major Navy base mentioned in the story is merely a single dock out on the edge of Jebel Ali with no logistics support (cranes), maintenance buildings or any permanent structure. The biggest installation there is the USO tent. So, if you happen to be a US citizen and you are in the Emirates, drop a donation off at the USO because they are the only folks taking care of our guys over there.

Now Hear This, THIS WAS A DRILL!

Gulf News reports that a conversation between two drunk Arabs started the whole Dubai Terror Alert thing.

"A diplomatic source said the warning was issued based on a personal conversation between the two Arab men in the Hemingway bar in the Hiltonia Hotel in Abu Dhabi. The bar is frequented by hundreds of Britons and Americans.

One drunk man told the other in jest: "If someone wants to scare all these people and make them run away, just say there is a bomb. A belt bomb will kill hundreds of them."
The source said it is believed that Britons sitting near the men overheard the conversation and thought it was serious.

They reported the matter to their embassy who immediately issued the terror alert. "

They need to learn that that s**t isn't funny anymore. PE has a couple of observations. One, what about the Muslim prohibition against drinking? The morality police need to find these guys and arrest them. Two, didn't anybody learn anything about faulty intelligence with the whole Iraq thing?

Oh well, I guess its better to safe than sorry - and it did make for an exiting couple of days. And it's always a good idea to have a drill or two before the reall deal. As you were. Carry on.

Advice to Expats in the UAE

I have taken a page from Col. Jeff Cooper's personal defence training and adjusted it to situations you may face in the UAE during the current terrorism alert. Col. Cooper taught four levels of personal awareness: white, yellow, orange and red. These corresponded to increasing levels of alertness culminating in a fight response at the red level. Here are my interpretations of those alertness levels applied to a terrorist attack.

• White: Unaware and unprepared. If attacked in Condition White, the only thing that may save you is the inadequacy or ineptitude of your attacker. When confronted by something nasty, your reaction will probably be "Oh my God! This can't be happening to me."
• Yellow: Relaxed alert. No specific threat situation. You should always be in Yellow whenever you are in unfamiliar surroundings or among people you don't know. You can remain in Yellow for long periods. In Yellow, you are "taking in" surrounding information in a relaxed but alert manner, like a continuous 360 degree radar sweep.
• Orange: Specific alert. Something is not quite right and has gotten your attention. Your radar has picked up a specific alert. You shift your primary focus to determine if there is a threat. You formulate a plan of action.
• Red: Your flight or fight trigger is tripped. You implement your plan.

While these levels were originally developed for an armed response, they are equally applicable for the average citizen in formulating an unarmed response to a situation. Typically, your response will be to evacuate the immediate area. Your planning should include a knowledge of the location of emergency exits and safety equipment (fire alarms, extinguishers).

Enshallah, there will be no problems and driving the SZR will still be the most dangerous thing you do all day.

UK Raises Terror Threat in UAE

The British Foreign Office has raised the alert level for terrorism attack in the UAE to their highest level. There was no indication of the reason for the increase in alert level. No similar notice has been posted by the US Department of State, however the US embassy in Abu Dhabi posted the following on their web site:

As we enter the busy summer travel and holiday season, including plans for 4th of July celebrations around the UAE, Embassy Abu Dhabi and Consulate General Dubai wish to remind American citizens about the general security situation in the Middle East, as outlined below in the current Worldwide Caution. The Embassy and Consulate General wish to advise Americans that potential exists for terrorists to plan and carry out violent actions in the region, including the UAE, and for this reason Americans should maintain a high level of personal security awareness at all times, particularly in public places.

Certainly, the UAE is a target rich environment for terror attacks. It also provides naval support to the US fleet in support of the War on Terror.