Thanks for the post. I'm a little old nobody in nowhereland, but I am an American, and I don't have a problem with the UAE.
My mother, a littler and older nobody who enjoys worldwide travel in her hard-earned retirement, reported that of all the ME countries she visited, the UAE was the friendliest. She said it was beautiful, too. Said she felt safe and welcome, as an American.
With her, that's saying something. She's literally been everywhere...
I have visited Dubai three times, it is shocking to see an Arab muslim city in the desert with such an open society with huge Western influence. Dubai is a very nice city and as Rush Limbaugh said they want to be like us; isn't this what we really hope for in the Middle East?