The Dubai delusion

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, ruler of Dubai and vice president of the United Arab Emirates, likes nothing better than foreign media reports depicting his emirate as the “economic miracle of the desert.” However, since this economic crisis hit, the foreign media has had a field day reporting everything that has gone wrong with Dubai. Headlines such as, ‘Dubai Property Scandal Claim Emerges Amid Media Blackout’ or ‘The Dark Side of Dubai,’ are just some of the stories that have made the headlines lately. In comparison, reporting within Dubai has been relatively tame and, if you didn’t know any better, the local press would have you believe that the economic situation was under control and life was as idyllic as ever. And that’s what the people at the helm want us all to think. A few days ago, I received an email from a retired friend who until recently