Separate and apart from being a documented rare and extremely critical ally of ours in the WOT, i.e., the bases, the safe ports, combat flight origination, provisions and military R&R they provide for our Navy and other armed forces, especially since it puts them at such deadly risk from Islamofascists, Dubai is a booming megalopolis .. with more new resorts, hotels, commercial projects and residential communities planned and under construction than probably anywhere else in the world.
They're modernized, westernized .. they have four Christian churches in Dubai, and according to an American ex-pat FReeper who loves living and working there, as do thousands of Americans, Christmas is bigger than Ramadan.
Putting even that reality aside for a moment, they're planning ahead for the gradual depletion of their oil revenues and petrol market volatility with other resources and income streams by creating a phenomenal global business hub and tourist destination to the tune of uncountable billions, in addition to other worldwide businesses and projects.
The only purported 7-Star Hotel in the world.
Dubai International Airport (there's more than one)
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"The Palm Islands, also referred to as The Palm Dubai and The Palms, are the three largest man-made islands in the world, which are being built on the coast of the emirate of Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Its concept was announced in May 2002 and the three resort islands are expected to maintain Dubai's position as a premium tourist destination. The Palm Islands is also the self-declared 'Eighth Wonder of the World'.
Each of the islands (Palm Jumeirah, Palm Jebel Ali, and Palm Deira) are being built in the shape of a date palm tree and consist of a trunk, a crown with fronds, and are surrounded by a crescent island that acts as a breakwater. The islands will support luxury hotels, freehold residential villas, unique water homes, shoreline apartments, marinas, water theme parks, restaurants, shopping malls, sports facilities, health spas, cinemas and various diving sites."
"The unique man-made island is built in the shape of a date palm tree and consists of a trunk, a crown with 17 fronds, and a surrounding crescent island that will form a water-breaker.
The Jumeirah Palm island is primarily a retreat and residential area for living, relaxation, and leisure. It will contain themed boutique hotels, three types of villas (Signature Villas, Garden Homes, and Canal Cove Town Homes), shoreline apartment buildings, beaches, marinas, restaurants, cafes and a variety of retail outlets.
The Palm Jumeirah will contain over 25 of the top international hotel brands including Movenpick, Antara, Fairmont, Radisson SAS, Hilton, Metropolitan, Shangri La, One and Only Royal Mirage, Starwood, Marriott, Oberoi, Chedi, Taj and Dusit. Other developments will include Al Basri Building, Al Habool Building, Al Anbara Building, Emerald Palace, The Fairmont Palm Residence, Jewel of the Palm, and the Trump Plaza and Marina Residences. Construction began on the Palm Jumeirah island in June 2001.
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Dubai consortium in airport bid for India, China, Middle East
02.23.2006 - A newly-formed Dubai consortium unveiled plans to bid for the development and operation of airports in China, India and the Middle East, a market they estimate to be worth 400 bln usd.
The consortium sealed a partnership today during Asian Aerospace, the world's third-largest airshow.
A statement said the group will 'target the 400 bln usd airport development and operations market in the emerging economies, primarily in the Middle East, India and China.
The consortium comprises DAE Airports and six other top companies in the United Arab Emirates.
DAE Airports is a subsidiary of Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE), a recently launched holding firm that aims to invest 15 bln usd in manufacturing and services in the aviation sector.
Its partners are real estate-based Emaar, air services supplier DNATA, aviation industry technology firm Mercator, Emirates National Oil Co, Amlak Finance and Dubai Airports Free Zone Authority (DAFZA).
'Our clients from around the globe, particularly in this region and the emerging markets of Asia, are being offered a one-stop solution for their airport needs,' said DAE managing director Mohammed Al Zarouni.
'Through DAE Airports, they will have access to a wide range of capabilities, whether this is a new airport on a greenfield site, a sophisticated operations upgrade at an existing site, or a privatisation.'
Under the agreement, consortium leader DAE Airports will identify the target projects, structure the deals and bid jointly with its partners.
The focus would be on developing new airports on a build, own, operate and transfer scheme.
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Materials Handling Exhibition - Dubai 2007
"Jebel Ali Freezone is home to many of the world's most influential multi-national companies, such as AT&T, Bose, Casio, Compaq, Daewoo, Estee Lauder, H.J.Heinz, Honda, Hyundai, JVC, Nissan, Nokia, Star TV."
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We do not know, God forbid, where the next terrorist attack will originate .. a brainwashed American, Scandinavian, Arab, British, German neardowell, wackjob psychopathic fascist, but .. just from a common sense, logic-based viewpoint ... do you *actually believe* Dubai is going to risk being complicit in terror and losing their infrastructure, fortune, their future ... their very existence?
