How is spreading the gospel dumb? I think they knew what they were doing and I'll be praying for them and that through them people in the UAE will come to know Jesus Christ.
Provoking the locals is dumb.
Deliberately going into an Arab community and causing offense by proselytizing has caused them a problem, caused a problem for their sponsors and embarrassed their sympathizers...
They are dumb-ass grannies.
There are successful missionaries in these countries I am confident. They are the ones we've never heard of.