Presidential Power

When we first moved to the UAE, some 5 years ago (has it really been that long?!!), it very quickly became apparent that this was still somewhat of an undiscovered country. Not a lot was known about it outside of the immediate Gulf region. Which explained the quite astounding levels of mediocrity that the country was able to attract in terms of celebrities looking to publicise the fact that they were passing through (80s band Level 42 anyone?).

But certain things have changed. Like him or loathe him, the arrival of the Leader of the Free World in Abu Dhabi today, with a fleeting visit to Dubai tomorrow before his departure to Saudi Arabia, has caused something of a stir.

Stir is perhaps the wrong word. A bit of a flap might be more appropriate.

We are used to seeing and (it being an inherently American trait to be over the top at every possibility) accepting an unprecedented level of security surrounding George Bush, and it doesn't take a genius to work out that a tour of the Middle East might not be the safest trip he has ever made, but I was also previously of the view that these kind of trips are planned months in advance, and that the Secret Service presence, whilst noticeable for its pretentious and arrogant looking "black suit and shades" uniform, is also undeniably a slick operation. Whenever 'Dubya' has a need to pass through a random US (or even UK) city, one might expect police outriders to block off intersections for a few seconds whilst his overly long procession of armoured limos steams through. Followed by normal service on the nation's roads a few moments later.

But not here in the UAE, oh no! At 4.30pm this afternoon (the first working day of the week), the Government announced (and UAE chat rooms and email servers were set alight by) the news that tomorrow would suddenly be an unscheduled National Holiday for all, due to expected traffic congestion throughout the city. What traffic congestion would this be? Well, the fact that the arrival of the President of the US was deemed reason enough to shut entirely every major road in the city for a period of 11 hours. That's effectively the whole working day. Announced to the country 90 working minutes prior to the end of the previous day.

It would be unbelievable if it weren't so very characteristically Dubai (where national holidays of any type are rarely known with certainty more than a few days beforehand).

And so when George leaves the comfort of his Abu Dhabi hotel (the 7 star Emirates Palace no less, which for "security reasons" he has booked the entirety of and which, for one night's stay, has been closed to the general public for 5 days) to take a half day trip to Dubai, one wonders who will be counting the millions of dollars of lost business caused by the entire city being forced to stay at home as he whistles through the empty streets wondering where all the people are.

And where will they all be? At home, staying out of third day of continuous rain we are currently experiencing (don't get me started on that either!)