Why Abu Dhabi Won't See An Uprising Like Egypt Any Time Soon

My father calls, "did you here about that mess in Egypt?"  "Yes I did", I respond.  "How far is that from you?"  I am eating, somewhat busy, but I know that it isn't cool to ignore Poppas' calls.  Irritated, I reply, "about a 3-4 hour plane ride."  Not satisfied with my answer he goes on, "I have a map right here.  Now, where are you?"  He says, "I see Saudi Arabia and Oman".  I say, "great, we're far right.  Right by Saudi and Oman."   Still unable to find it, he slowly starts repeating what I've said, "Ok, right next to Saudi Arabia and Oman."  Hoping to speed up the process, I say "YES", but still there is no luck.  Perhaps, because he is tired and therefore, unable to think clearly.  Frustrated, I say to him, "call me when you're fully awake so that I can explain.  He agrees and reluctantly disengages the phone.

I feel bad, thinking, how worried I would be if someone I loved seemed to be so far away and yet close to so much chaos and drama.  I am frustrated with the call, but I am certain that my frustration does not compare to his at this time.  He is worried about me, as a father should be, but he is not the only one.  Over the past few weeks, I have received numerous calls and e-mails of concern; people wondering, "is everything ok over there?"

To ease the fears and concerns of my friends and family, I decided to write about why I believe there is no cause for alarm surrounding a similar uprising in the UAE.  What has happened in Tunisia and what is occurring in Egypt are problems of a strong handed government.  A government, I am told has neglected its' people.  A government that has allowed it's people to go jobless, homeless and to ultimately  become, hopeless, but that is not the case in the UAE.  At least, not for now.  The Emirates are happy here.  They have everything that the rest of the world is working so hard to acquire.  They have it all, handed to them for free.

In the UAE, housing, education, medical and a monthly salary is provided for its' citizens.  The best jobs are given first to the Emirates, even without a formal education.  If they choose to graduate from high school and go on to college, the government foots the entire bill and even continues to pay them their full salary while they are studying.  They even encourage them to study abroad and if their spouse goes with them, the spouse is allowed to take a leave of absence from work, if they work, and still receive full pay.  If they don't work, they continue receiving a "salary" similar to our welfare system in the U.S., but the amount of money doesn't even compare.

The nationals here in the UAE want for nothing.  Their government has and continues to provide for them quite well.  The only problem is the fact that the government realizes that their oil money won't last forever and they are eagerly encouraging the Emirates to pursue higher education.  The nationals are slow to take heed and because of that, the future of this great and wealthy company could be reversed in a matter of a few decades.


As for now, the people are well taken care of and that alone, will prevent a similar situation from happening in the UAE as it has happened in Tunisia and now Egypt.  The nationals are too content to complain about their "good" thing.  Besides we all wish we had what they have, without the bureaucracy, control and lack of freedom that comes along with a socialist society.  Who wouldn't want free health care, free education, a tax-free, unearned salary and free housing.  While it does sound good, I have learned, even free comes with a hefty price tag.