Thanks for your input - the UAE walks a tightrope between the West and their ME neighbors. I have a family member who worked in the NY office of a UAE corp and traveled frequently to that country - they are a LONG way off from being "westernized". Although it is small in size, as you probably know the UAE is a very rich country. This is a problem for them - they can't get their own people to work because the need it not there, hence they find themselves relying on westerners.