Portraits of Sheikh Mohammed ibn Rashid al Maktoum. Sad news about the Arab prince
Born July 22, 1949. In 2006, he became Prime Minister and Vice President of the UAE. Studied at Bella Language School. Became ruler of Dubai by inheritance in 1995. His goal is to transform the UAE into a “green” and attractive place for doing business. Participated in the construction of the Palm Islands, the Burj Al Arab hotel, and the Burj Khalifa skyscraper. Established the Dubai World Cup Horse Racing Championship and created the Godolphin Stables. Has 16 children.
Biography
The Prime Minister and Vice President of the UAE, as well as the head of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed was born in 1949, the third of four sons. He studied at home before entering university. Graduated from the Bell Language School at the University of Cambridge. In 1995, Sheikh Mohammed became the crown prince of the UAE, whose main goal was to transform a small piece of desert into the most luxurious holiday and business destination on earth.
Thus, he participated in the construction of the Palm Islands, the Burj Al Arab Hotel, the Burj Khalifa skyscraper, and also established the Dubai World Cup Horse Racing and Godolphin Stables.
Known as a poet, Sheikh Mohammed has always been interested in poetry, especially the Nabati poetry (folk poetry of the peoples of the Arabian Peninsula and the Syrian Desert), which originated in the same places where the Sheikh came from. His hobbies include hunting, shooting, horse racing, and camel racing.
With a net worth of over US$4 billion, Sheikh Mohammed spares no expense on charities such as cultural literacy and education.
After the death of his elder brother in 2006, Sheikh Mohammed became the ruler of Dubai, as well as the prime minister and vice president of the UAE.
Sheikh Mohammed, known to many expats as Sheikh Mo, got married for the first time in 1979. His wife was Sheikha Hind bint Maktoum bin Yuma al-Maktoum. His second wife was Princess Haya bint al-Hussein, daughter of Hussein of Jordan (King of Jordan). Sheikh Mohammed has 16 children.
Hundreds of people die every day in hot spots in the Middle East, but it so happens that the recent death of just one person from the region has attracted the attention of the world's media. One of the richest Arab noble families is experiencing grief - Sheikh Rashid ibn Mohammed al-Maktoum died untimely. He was the eldest in the family of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, the second most important and influential person in the political hierarchy of the United Arab Emirates. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum serves as the Emir of Dubai and is also the Prime Minister, Vice President and Minister of Defense of the UAE. His eldest son Rashid was only 33 years old - he did not live to see his 34th birthday for a month and a half. Rashid’s younger brother Hamdan al-Maktoum wrote on his social media page: “Today I lost my best friend and childhood companion, dear brother Rashid. We will miss you." World media reported that Rashid died of a heart attack. Of course, thirty-four is not the age to die. But, no matter how sad it is, all people are mortal and it happens suddenly and prematurely. But the death of Sheikh Rashid attracted the attention of the world community for a reason. However, first things first.
Lords of Dubai
The al-Maktoum dynasty is one of the most influential noble Bedouin families on the Persian Gulf coast. The Maktoums come from the powerful Arab clan al-Abu Falah (al-Falahi), which, in turn, belongs to the Beni Yas tribal federation, which has dominated the territory of the modern United Arab Emirates since the mid-18th century. In the 19th century, the southwestern coast of the Persian Gulf increasingly attracted the attention of Great Britain, which sought to strengthen its military and trading positions in the southern seas. The growing British presence in the Persian Gulf hampered Arab maritime trade, but local sheikhdoms and emirates were not able to interfere with the largest maritime power. Back in 1820, the British East India Company forced the rulers of seven Arab emirates to sign the “General Treaty”, as a result of which the territory of Oman was divided into the Imamate of Oman, the Sultanate of Muscat and the Pirate Coast. British military bases were located here, and the emirs were made dependent on the British political agent. In 1833, the al-Abu Falah clan migrated from the territory of modern Saudi Arabia to the coast, to which the Maktoum family seized power in the city of Dubai and proclaimed the creation of the independent emirate of Dubai. Access to the sea ensured the economic development of Dubai, which became one of the important ports on the Persian Gulf coast. At the end of the 19th century, British diplomats managed to achieve the conclusion of an “Exceptional Agreement” between the sheikhs of Treaty Oman, as the territory of the modern UAE was previously called, with Great Britain. It was signed in March 1892. Among the sheikhs who signed the agreement was the then ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Rashid ibn Maktoum (1886-1894). From the moment the “Exceptional Agreement” was signed, a British protectorate was established over Trucial Oman. Sheikhs, including representatives of the al-Maktoum dynasty, were deprived of the right to conduct international negotiations and enter into agreements with other states, to cede, sell or lease parts of the territories under their control to other states or foreign companies.
First half of the twentieth century. became a turning point for the Persian Gulf emirates, which predetermined the fundamental changes that subsequently occurred in their lives. The once backward desert lands, with a small population loyal to the traditional way of life and customs, received a tremendous impetus for development - huge oil reserves were discovered in the Persian Gulf. Naturally, this immediately attracted the attention of the British authorities, who established control over the granting of permits by the sheikhs for exploration and exploitation of oil fields in the region. However, until the 1950s. There was virtually no oil production in the region, and the Arab Emirates continued to receive most of its income from the pearl trade. But after the oil fields began to be exploited, the standard of living in the emirates began to rise rapidly. The well-being of the sheikhs themselves, who gradually turned into some of the richest inhabitants of the planet, also increased many times over. Unlike many other states of the Arab East, there was practically no national liberation struggle in the emirates of the Persian Gulf. The sheikhs were already pleased with their growing prosperity, especially since they had the opportunity to educate their offspring in Great Britain and purchase real estate there. In 1968, Great Britain, however, decided to gradually withdraw British military units from the Persian Gulf countries. The sheikhs and emirs decided to create the Federation of Arab Emirates of the Persian Gulf. On February 18, 1968, the Emir of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan, and the Sheikh of Dubai, Rashid bin Saeed al-Maktoum, met and agreed to create the federation of Abu Dhabi and Dubai. On December 2, 1971, the emirs of Abu Dhabi and Dubai were joined by the rulers of Sharjah, Ajman, Fujairah and Umm al-Quwain, who signed the constitution of the United Arab Emirates. Dubai became the second most important emirate, and therefore its rulers secured the second most important positions in the country. From 1971 to 1990 The emirate was ruled by Rashid ibn Said, under whom the rapid development of the Dubai economy took place. The city began to be built up with modern skyscrapers, the World Trade Center was founded, and work began on clearing coastal waters and developing a seaport. Dubai has transformed from an archaic Arab town into an ultra-modern city, the infrastructure of which was beyond the ability of its indigenous residents to maintain. Therefore, Dubai was flooded with foreign labor migrants - people from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and the countries of North and North-East Africa. They are currently the main “working link” of the population of both Dubai and other parts of the UAE. After Sheikh Rashid ibn Said died in October 1990, his eldest son Maktoum ibn Rashid al-Maktoum (1943-2006) was proclaimed the new emir of Dubai, who ruled for 16 years.
Currently, the Emir of Dubai is Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. He was born in 1949, educated in London, and after the declaration of independence of Dubai, he was appointed chief of police of the emirate and commander of the defense forces. In 1995, Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid appointed his younger brother Mohammed bin Rashid as Crown Prince of Dubai. At the same time, Mohammed began to exercise actual leadership of the city of Dubai itself, making a great contribution to its economic development. One of the merits of Mohammed ibn Rashid is the development of air traffic in Dubai. In the 1970s Sheikh Mohammed, who then headed the Dubai Defense Forces and the UAE Ministry of Defense, was also responsible for the development of the country's civil aviation. It was with his direct participation that Dubai airlines were created, including FlyDubai. Mohammed also came up with the idea of building the world's largest hotel, Burj Al Arab, which is part of the Jumeirah tourism group, which in turn is a component of the Emirati holding Dubai Holding. Currently, Emirati civil aviation provides air transportation all over the world, but primarily to Arab countries and South Asian countries. Under the leadership of Sheikh Mohammed, in 1999, the creation of Dubai Internet City was carried out - a free economic zone on the territory of the emirate. That is, the contribution of the current ruler to the development of his country is very significant, although the emir also never forgot about his own well-being. After Sheikh Maktoum ibn Rashid died during a visit to Australia in 2006, Mohammed inherited the emir's throne of Dubai. He accordingly proclaimed his eldest son Rashid as heir to the throne.
Sheikh Rashid - from succession to the throne to disgrace
Sheikh Rashid ibn Mohammed ibn Rashid al-Maktoum was born on November 12, 1981 to Sheikh Mohammed ibn Rashid al-Maktoum and his first wife Hind bint Maktoum bin Yuma al-Maktoum, with whom Mohammed ibn Rashid married in 1979. Childhood Rashid took place in the rich emir's palace, then at the elite school for boys named after Sheikh Rashid in Dubai. In this school, education is based on British standards - after all, the elite of the Emirates then send their offspring to receive higher education in the UK. As a rule, the children of sheikhs receive military education, since for a real Bedouin only military service is considered worthy. The hero of our article was no exception. Prince Rashid was sent to study at the renowned Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, where the sons of many high-ranking persons from Asian and African states that were once British colonies and protectorates study. In particular, the current Emir of Qatar, the Sultan of Oman, the King of Bahrain and the Sultan of Brunei studied at Sandhurst.
After returning to his homeland, Rashid gradually learned the duties of the emir, as his father groomed him for the role of heir and intended to eventually transfer to him the responsibilities of the ruler of Dubai and the prime minister of the UAE. It seemed that the future of young Rashid was predetermined - it was he who would succeed his father Mohammed on the throne of the ruler of Dubai. Naturally, the attention of the world secular press was also focused on one of the richest and most famous young people on the planet. But just over seven years ago, the situation changed dramatically for Rashid. On February 1, 2008, Sheikh Mohammed appointed his second son, Hamdan bin Mohammed, as Crown Prince of Dubai. Another son, Maktoum ibn Mohammed, was appointed to the post of deputy ruler of Dubai. The eldest son, Rashid ibn Mohammed, officially announced his abdication of the throne. Moreover, he did not receive a single important post in the management system of the Dubai Emirate - neither in the army, nor in the police, nor in civilian structures. Moreover, Rashid practically stopped appearing with his father in front of television cameras, but his brother Hamdan increasingly became the hero of television stories and newspaper publications. This indicated real disgrace, into which, for some reason, yesterday’s heir to the emir’s throne, Rashid, fell. Journalists around the world began to wonder what caused Sheikh Mohammed's sudden decision to remove his eldest son from the role of heir to the throne.
When the WikiLeaks documents were published, among them was a telegram from the US Consul General in Dubai, David Williams, in which he informed his leadership about the changes that had occurred in the order of succession to the emir's throne. According to Williams, the reason for Sheikh Rashid's disgrace was the crime he committed - the emir's eldest son allegedly killed one of the servants in the emir's palace. Father Sheikh Mohammed for this reason became very angry with his son and removed him from inheriting the throne. Of course, criminal prosecution of Sheikh Rashid never came, but he was removed from leadership positions in the emirate. Let us note once again that this is unconfirmed information, so there is no reason to unconditionally believe it, but we cannot exclude the fact that the everyday behavior of the heir to the throne could serve as one of the reasons for the deterioration of his relationship with his father and, as a result, disgrace and exclusion from inheriting the throne . The media did a lot of work to promote his younger brother Hamdan. Hamdan was reported to be a very athletic person, a diver and a lover of skydiving. In addition, Hamdan loves animals and keeps lions and white tigers in his personal zoo, and loves falconry. He is a rider and an excellent driver, a yachtsman and even a poet who writes his poems under the pseudonym Fazza. Hamdan is positioned as a philanthropist who organizes donations to the disabled, sick children and the poor. Naturally, the secular press immediately dubbed Hamdan one of the most eligible bachelors of the modern world. However, there were very good reasons for this - Hamdan is truly a fabulously rich man, his fortune reaches 18 billion dollars (this is 9 times more than the fortune of his late older brother Rashid). Apparently, Hamdan has a calmer disposition than his older brother - at least, no scandals involving him are known. Obviously, this circumstance influenced Sheikh Mohammed’s decision to make Hamdan heir.
What happened to Sheikh Rashid?
After disgrace, Sheikh Rashid ibn Mohammed completely entered the world of sports and other entertainment. We must give him his due - as a rider he was really quite good. The Al Maktoum family has traditionally had a keen interest in equestrian sports, and Rashid owned the Zabeel Racing International corporation. But he acted not only as the organizer of the races, but also as their direct participant. Rashid had 428 medals won in various competitions in the emirates and other countries. He received two gold medals at the Asian Games, held in 2006 in Doha - while Rashid was heir to the throne. In 2008-2010 Rashid headed the Olympic Committee of the United Arab Emirates, but then left this position. He explained his resignation from the post of president of the committee by the lack of free time and the associated impossibility of fully fulfilling the duties of the head of this structure. In 2011, public attention was focused on another scandal related to the behavior of members of the emir's family. As you know, sheikhs have real estate not only in the emirates, but also abroad, including in the UK. This property is serviced by hired personnel, among whom are not only UAE citizens, but also workers from other countries. One of the UK courts received a lawsuit from an African named Olantunji Faleye. Mr. Faleye, an Anglican by religion, worked for some time at the British residence of the al-Maktoum family. He told the court that family members called him "al-abd al-aswad" - "black slave", made contemptuous comments about Faleye's race, also made insulting comments about Christianity and tried to persuade the worker to convert to Islam. Faleye considered this to be racial and religious discrimination, and therefore appealed to the UK judicial authorities. Another former employee of the emir's residence named Ejil Mohammed Ali testified as a witness at the court hearings, who, under oath, told the court that Sheikh Rashid allegedly suffered from drug addiction and had recently (at the time of the trial) undergone a rehabilitation course for the consequences of drug abuse. It is likely that Rashid's dependence, if it existed, could also be one of the reasons why Sheikh Mohammed excluded his eldest son from inheritance.
If the rumors about addiction are true, then death at 33 from a heart attack can be easily explained. Indeed, under the wording “heart attack” in this case, either an ordinary overdose or an actual failure of the heart as a result of many years of drug use could be hidden. But everything turned out to be even more confusing. Almost immediately after the death of Sheikh Rashid, the Iranian media (and Iran, as you know, is the main opponent of Saudi Arabia and its ally the UAE in the Islamic world and the Middle East) reported that the prince did not die of a heart attack. He died in Yemen - in the province of Marib, in the central part of the country. Allegedly, Rashid and the officers and soldiers of the United Arab Emirates army accompanying him came under fire from the rocket artillery of the Houthis - Yemeni rebels fighting against supporters of the ousted President Abd-Rabbo Mansour Hadi and the armed forces of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and some others acting on their side states of the region. After the news of Rashid’s death, the UAE authorities chose to hide this fact from the country’s population. Apparently, the report of death from a heart attack, which caused a lot of misinterpretation and speculation, including attributing the death to the consequences of drug use, still seemed more acceptable to the Dubai authorities than the statement about Rashid’s death in battle. It would seem that the heroic death of the young sheikh would only raise the authority of the emir's family, but in reality everything is not so simple. The UAE authorities, like other Gulf states, are very wary of popular unrest.
The Emirates is a country of rich natives and poor migrants
The socio-economic situation of these states, despite the untold oil wealth, is gradually deteriorating, which is associated, among other things, with the formation of an extremely polarized and explosive society. The prosperity of the UAE, like other oil-producing monarchies in the Persian Gulf, is based not only on oil production, but also on the brutal exploitation of foreign migrant workers who work in almost all sectors of the country's economy. Migrants make up at least 85-90% of the total population of the United Arab Emirates, without having any rights. All social benefits and economic wealth of the UAE are concentrated in the hands of the ruling family of sheikhs al-Maktoum and the indigenous inhabitants of the country - representatives of Arab Bedouin tribes. The indigenous population makes up only 10-15% of the total population of the UAE. It turns out that the emirates can only very conditionally be called Arab, since the vast majority of their inhabitants, albeit temporary, are not Arabs. The bulk of migrants arrive in the UAE from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, the Philippines, and Sri Lanka. These people, coming from overpopulated countries with very high unemployment rates, are willing to work for 150-300 US dollars a month, living in poverty and subject to total police control. The majority of construction and port workers in the UAE are migrant men. Among immigrants from India, residents of the southern states predominate - primarily representatives of the Dravidian peoples of Telugu and Tamil. As for the militant Punjabis and Sikhs from Northern India, the UAE government prefers not to get involved with them, so it is extremely reluctant to grant them work permits. Among Pakistanis, the bulk of migrants are Baluchis - this ethnicity inhabits the southwest of Pakistan, which is geographically closest to the Persian Gulf. Women work in the service and healthcare sectors. Thus, 90% of nurses in UAE healthcare institutions are Filipino citizens.
Compared to Indians, Pakistanis and Filipinos, people from other, poorer Arab states are very few in the UAE. It would seem that it is much easier to accept Arabs, with whom there are no linguistic and cultural barriers, than Indians or Filipinos, but the UAE government has been doing so since the 1980s. took a conscious course to limit immigration from Arab countries as much as possible. Note that the UAE does not accept Syrian refugees either. This is explained by the fact that the UAE authorities, like other Gulf monarchies, suspect the Arabs of political disloyalty. Many Arabs from poor states are carriers of radical ideologies - from fundamentalism to revolutionary socialism, which the Emirati authorities do not like very much. After all, “foreign” Arabs are capable of influencing the political views and behavior of the local Arab population. In addition, Arabs will be more confident in defending their labor rights and may demand citizenship. The authorities of the Persian Gulf countries finally decided to put an end to the issue of placing Arab immigrants after the events of 1990, when Iraq tried to annex the territory of neighboring Kuwait. Kuwait was home to a sizeable community of Palestinians who were encouraged by Yasser Arafat, leader of the Palestine Liberation Organization, to cooperate with the Iraqi army. In addition, Saddam Hussein's policies were also supported by Arabs from other states who sympathized with the national socialist views of the Baath Party. The Kuwaiti events caused the mass deportation from the Gulf countries of more than 800 thousand people from Yemen, 350 thousand Palestinian Arabs, and many thousands of citizens of Iraq, Syria and Sudan. Note that all of the listed Arab communities are represented by people from those countries where nationalist and socialist ideas have traditionally spread, which are considered by the monarchs of the Gulf countries as dangerous threats to the political stability of the region.
Naturally, foreign migrants who do not have labor rights do not have any political rights. There are no political parties or trade unions in the UAE, and worker protests are prohibited. As the American writer and publicist Michael Davis writes, “Dubai is a huge gated community, a green zone. It is the apotheosis of the neoliberal values of late capitalism, more than Singapore or Texas; this society seems to be written within the walls of the Department of Economics at the University of Chicago. And indeed, Dubai has achieved what American reactionaries can only dream of - an oasis of “free enterprise” without taxes, trade unions and political opposition” (Quoted from: The life of guest workers in the neoliberal-feudal UAE // http://ttolk.ru/ ?p=273). In fact, foreign workers are in a bonded position in the UAE, since upon arrival in the country their passports and visas are taken away, after which they are settled in guarded camps on the outskirts of Dubai and are not allowed to visit public places in the city. The labor organization system in the UAE was inherited from the colonial era - then the British colonialists also imported Indian coolies who worked for next to nothing and were in bondage to their employers. Any attempts by foreign workers to speak out in defense of their rights and interests are brutally suppressed by the emirate authorities. But even under these conditions, mass unrest periodically occurs in the country, initiated by crowds of exploited Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi workers. In 2007, a mass strike of Indian and Pakistani construction workers took place in the UAE, in which about 40 thousand migrants took part. The reason for the strike was workers' dissatisfaction with wages, working and living conditions, as well as the standard of two liters of free water per person per day. As a result of the strike, 45 Indian workers were sentenced to 6 months in prison and subsequent deportation from the UAE for endangering public safety and destroying property. However, labor conflicts are not always the cause of the unrest that is increasingly occurring in Dubai. The presence in the UAE of a huge number of young men who do not have families here and do not have regular contact with the female sex, in itself turns out to be a serious factor provoking an increase in all kinds of crimes. Thus, in October 2014, riots in Dubai were caused by clashes between Pakistani and Bangladeshi workers who fought after watching a broadcast of a football match between teams of the two countries. On March 11, 2015, construction workers working on the construction of Fountain Views, an elite residential area, protested in Dubai. They demanded higher wages. However, much more than unrest organized by migrants, the UAE authorities are afraid of discontent among the indigenous population.
After oil development began and the UAE economy began to grow at a rapid pace, the Emirati authorities sought in every possible way to improve the life of the indigenous population of the country, including in order to eliminate the possibility of anti-government protests on the part of Bedouin tribes. For citizens of the country of indigenous origin, numerous benefits were established, benefits and all kinds of cash payments were introduced. By doing this, the UAE government sought to protect the country from the spread of radical views popular in other Arab countries. However, at present, the stability gained through the ongoing social policy to support the indigenous population is under threat. And the reason for this is the country’s involvement in hostilities in Yemen.
The war in Yemen is claiming more lives of UAE citizens
Like other Gulf states, the UAE, including the emirate of Dubai, spends huge sums on defense and security. The militarization of the country especially intensified after the events of the Arab Spring in 2011 and the civil wars caused by its consequences in the territory of a number of states in the Middle East and North Africa. It was the Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE, that made the main contribution to provoking and inciting armed conflicts in Libya, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen. Media owned by Qatar, the UAE and Saudi Arabia played a major role in the “information war” against the regimes of Assad, Mubarak, Gaddafi, and Saleh. With direct financial, organizational and even personnel support from the Gulf countries, radical religious and political organizations operate in almost all countries and regions of the Islamic world - from West Africa to Central Asia, from the North Caucasus to Indonesia. However, by directly supporting radical forces, the Gulf countries also jeopardized their own security. Radical fundamentalist groups, supported by Saudi Arabia and its regional allies, have long accused the monarchical elites of the Gulf countries of betraying religious ideals and adopting a Western way of life. Then, in 2011, the Arab Spring miraculously did not overwhelm the Gulf monarchies. Today, the situation has been seriously aggravated by the fact that the monarchies of the region are mired in the civil war in Yemen.
Let us recall that back in 2004, contradictions intensified in Yemen between the government and the Shiites - the Zaydis, whose movement was called “Houthis” - named after Hussein al-Houthi, the first leader of the Zaydi uprising, who was killed in September 2004. In 2011, the Houthis took part in the revolution that overthrew the regime of President Ali Abdullah Saleh. The Houthis intensified their fighting in 2014 and captured the capital Sanaa in early 2015, forcing President Mansour Hadi to flee to neighboring Saudi Arabia. The Houthis created the Revolutionary Council to govern Yemen. The President of the Revolutionary Council is Muhammad Ali al-Houthi. According to Western and Saudi politicians, the Yemeni Houthis are actively supported by Iran, as well as Lebanese Shiites from Hezbollah and the Syrian government. Fearing the transformation of populous Yemen into an outpost of Iranian influence on the Arabian Peninsula, the Arab monarchies decided to take part in the civil war in the country, supporting the ousted President Mansour Hadi. Operation Storm of Determination began on March 25, 2015 with an attack by the Saudi Arabian Air Force on Houthi positions in a number of cities in Yemen. For a long time, Saudi Arabia, which acted as the leader of the anti-Houthi coalition, and its allies did not dare to conduct a ground operation against the Houthis, limiting themselves to constant air raids on Yemeni cities and military bases. However, in the end, direct clashes could not be avoided and they immediately revealed the entire weakness of the anti-Houthi coalition. Moreover, the Houthis managed to transfer hostilities to the border areas of Saudi Arabia. On June 10, 2015, Saudi soldiers voluntarily abandoned their defensive positions in the city of Najran. This was explained not so much by the cowardice of the Saudi military, but by their reluctance to fight with the Yemenis. The fact is that the majority of privates, sergeants and junior officers of the Saudi army units are themselves Yemenis by origin and do not see the need to fight with their fellow countrymen and even fellow tribesmen. It is known that in the Gulf countries the bulk of the employed population is represented by foreign migrants. The armed forces and police are no exception, in which there are also a lot of people from other countries, including Yemen. On June 21, 2015, the Ahrar al-Najran movement - "Free Citizens of Najran" - announced the accession of the tribes of the Saudi province of Najran to the Houthis and opposed the policies of the Saudi government. Thus, the civil war spread to the territory of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The United Arab Emirates also became involved in the standoff in Yemen, siding with Saudi Arabia. Soon, the participation of UAE troops in ground operations entailed serious casualties. Thus, several dozen UAE military personnel were killed as a result of missile attacks by the Yemeni army on Saudi positions at the base in Wadi al-Najran, where units of the UAE contingent were stationed. On September 4, 2015, there was a new missile attack by the Yemeni army on the location of anti-Houthi coalition troops in Marib province. An explosion occurred as a result of the strike, which hit an ammunition depot. 52 soldiers of the UAE army, 10 soldiers of the Saudi Arabian army, 5 soldiers of the Bahrain army and about 30 militants of the Yemeni anti-Houthi forces were killed. The destruction of the UAE armed forces camp was the largest Houthi military action against the Saudi coalition in Yemen to date. In addition to soldiers and officers, a large amount of ammunition, armored vehicles, and Apache helicopters in service with the UAE army were destroyed during the missile attack. Among those wounded in the shelling of the UAE army camp was the son of the ruler of the emirate of Ras al-Khaimah, Saud bin Saqr al-Qasimi. It seems that his injury has opened the list of high-ranking Emirati figures who have been injured as a result of participating in hostilities in Yemen. Later, in the Al-Safer area, the Houthis managed to shoot down an Apache helicopter belonging to the UAE armed forces with a surface-to-air missile. The UAE army personnel on board the helicopter were killed. On September 5, the UAE declared national mourning for the soldiers killed in the Wadi al-Najran camp.
Meanwhile, for the United Arab Emirates itself, getting involved in conflicts in neighboring countries is increasingly costly and affects the internal life of the state. Thus, in 2014, the UAE introduced compulsory conscription for military service for male citizens aged 18-30 years. It is provided that citizens who have a high school diploma serve 9 months, and citizens who do not have a secondary education serve 24 months. Until 2014, the UAE army was recruited exclusively on a contract basis. To serve in the UAE armed forces, Balochis from Pakistan were hired for private and sergeant positions, and Jordanian Circassians and Arabs for officer positions. In addition, the UAE army formed a battalion of 800 foreign mercenaries who had previously served in the Colombian, South African and French armies. Calling on the citizens of the Emirates who are spoiled and pampered with free education, benefits and payments is, apparently, an extreme measure. The UAE leadership does not trust foreign migrant contract workers and prefers to use representatives of the country's indigenous population. However, the latter have to fight outside the UAE - to realize the political ambitions of their leaders and within the framework of allied relations with Saudi Arabia. Naturally, the population of the UAE likes the current situation less and less. Especially after the news of the mass death of Emirati soldiers and officers in the Wadi al-Najran camp. In this situation, any informational occasion can provoke massive discontent among the country's population. Therefore, the reluctance of the UAE leadership to disclose the true causes of the death of Prince Rashid bin Mohammed al-Maktoum, if he really died in Yemen as a result of a Houthi attack, and did not die of a heart attack, is understandable.
The leadership of the Emirates fears that the death of the young prince will be perceived painfully by the indigenous population of the country - after all, many young men - citizens of the UAE - will subconsciously put themselves in the place of the deceased prince. Wealthy residents of the UAE do not at all want to die in Yemen, so it is likely that a response to the death of the prince could be mass anti-war protests and a boycott of military conscription. On the other hand, it cannot be ruled out that information about the death of Sheikh Rashid in Yemen, which first appeared in the Iranian media, may be a component of the information confrontation between Iran and the coalition of Gulf countries. But, whatever the true reasons for the death of the former heir to the Dubai throne, the UAE, by getting involved in large-scale hostilities in Yemen, jeopardized its own political and social stability. The monarchies of the Persian Gulf, being an instrument of the United States in realizing its own interests in the Middle East, have long functioned in the mode of “waiting for a social explosion.” Whether it will be, what it will be like and what will cause it - time will tell.
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About childhood and youth Rashida little is known: at that time there was no Instagram yet, and the Arab emirs and their heirs had not yet acquired the habit of posting scenes of a rich life with geotags for public viewing.
Rashid- the eldest son of the emir from his eldest and main wife Hind bint Maktoum and, accordingly, the stepson of the emir's second wife - the Jordanian princess Hayy bint al-Hussein. Children Mohammed And Hind, according to brother's recollections Rashid Hamdan, were brought up in the spirit of traditional values.
IN Dubai the heir graduated from the Sheikh School for Boys Rashida- training there was conducted according to the English model. After which the father sent Rashida to UK- to the Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst, where Arab sheikhs traditionally send their children (the current emir graduated from it Qatar, king Bahrain, sultans Brunei And Oman).
Disinherited
Rashid ibn Mohammed was preparing to become his father's successor: the emir introduced him to state affairs and entrusted him with control over various economic projects. But 1 February 2008 everything suddenly changed: the crown prince Dubai younger brother was appointed Rashida, second son of the sheikh Mohammed - Hamdan. His younger brother Maktoum received the post of deputy ruler Dubai. The emir's eldest son officially abdicated the throne, and moreover, there was no place for him among the leadership of the emirate.
Rashid (center) with his father (right) and brother Ahmed, 2006
This step, however, can only be called unexpected: diplomats and Arabic experts noted long before the emir’s decree that Hamdan increasingly appears in front of cameras next to his father and the emirate’s press writes about him more and more often. What happened, why Rashid out of work?
The publication of WikiLeaks documents brought some clarity to this issue. Among the published dispatches there is telegram Consul General USA V Dubai by David Williams, in which he reports on the change in the order of inheritance and the reasons for it. Without revealing your sources, Williams reported that Rashid killed one of the workers in the emir's palace, this angered the sheikh, and he revised the line of succession.
Solace in sports
The PR campaign in the emirate and around the world has borne fruit: a new crown prince Hamdan quickly became a press darling. Diver and skydiver, falconry enthusiast with a menagerie of lions and white tigers, snowboarder and pseudonymous poet Fazza. An excellent rider, multiple winner of equestrian competitions, owner of expensive cars and yachts - all this luxury Hamdan ibn Mohammed willingly demonstrates it on her Instagram account. Hamdan known as a philanthropist and philanthropist, generously distributing donations to the disabled and sick children, and also as one of the most eligible bachelors in the world. Admiring fans gave him the nickname “Aladdin”.
Against this background, his older brother Rashid looked quite pale (especially considering the difference in their capitals - less than two billion dollars Rashida against 18 billions Hamdana), and he doesn’t have an Instagram account. Although it cannot be said that the press did not spoil him with their attention. WITH 2005 For five years in a row, he has consistently been included in the list of “20 sexiest Arab men”, in 2010 magazine " Esq” recognized him as “one of the 20 most enviable royals,” and a year later “ Forbes"included in the twenty "most desirable royals."
Three sons of the emir: from left to right - Hamdan, Rashid, Maktoum
Having lost the right to the throne, Rashid ibn Mohammed focused on sports. The whole family al-Maktoum famous for his love of horses, and Rashid- not an exception. He owned a racing corporation Zabeel Racing International, and he has repeatedly won various competitions both in UAE, and abroad. In total he won 428 medals. The pinnacle of sporting achievements Rashid ibn Mohammed- two gold medals for Asian games in Doha V 2006 year. IN 2008 By 2010 year Rashid was even president UAE Olympic Committee, but left this post, as he explained, due to lack of time.
Scandal in a noble family
Arab sheikhs try not to make their internal affairs public, but sometimes, when the traditional values of oil emirs collide with European realities, leaks occur. So it happened with Rashid.
IN 2011 year, a black employee from the staff of the British Emir's Palace appealed to the British court Olantunji Faleye. He claimed that he was discriminated against on racial and religious grounds: members of the sheikh's family addressed him as "al-abd al-aswad" - "black slave", and repeatedly insulted Christianity (Faleye is an Anglican), calling him "bad, low and disgusting faith,” convincing his “black slave” to convert to Islam.
Hamdan (right) and Maktoum carry their brother's body
During the hearings, another service employee was called to the court as a witness - Ejil Mohammed Ali, who, among other things, stated under oath that the Sheikh Rashid- a drug addict who recently completed a rehabilitation course.
However, it is unlikely that such scandals can shake the reputation of the royal house Dubai, investing millions of dollars in its PR in the media and social networks. Judging by the number of responses on the page Rashida on Facebook, many people, including from the poorest countries in the world, perceive the death of the eldest son of the Dubai emir as a personal tragedy.
Article taken from LENTA.RU
0 October 7, 2018, 20:45We don’t know exactly what attracts girls more strongly to eastern sheikhs - the billions of dollars in their accounts or the languid glances of their black eyes. In any case, if your childhood hero was Aladdin from the Disney cartoon, you will definitely like our selection!
Perhaps the main eastern sex symbol (at least the most famous outside of his homeland) is the heir to the throne of the Emirate of Dubai. Hamdan is an eligible bachelor, and according to a survey conducted among British women, he is also one of the most attractive representatives of the world's royal families.
The girls surveyed put him in fourth place after Prince Harry, Prince Carl Philip and Andrea Casiraghi. On your Instagram page (@ faz3), where he has 6.6 million subscribers, Hamdan looks thoughtfully into the distance, hugs horses and camels, kisses a baby pony - how can you not fall in love? Well, we don’t need to remind you again about this young man’s sense of style. Hamdan also has the nickname Fazza - which means "brave" in Arabic - and writes poems about love.
Mansoor bin Mohammed Al Maktoum
Two years ago, many media outlets paid attention to Mansour, another son of the Prime Minister and Vice President of the United Arab Emirates, the ruler of the Emirate of Dubai, Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The fact is that during a fire at the Address Downtown hotel in Dubai on New Year's Eve, a young man was seen among the firefighters and military personnel who fought the fire. We are sure that it was then that Mansur earned additional points in the eyes of the women of the planet: after all, he is not only fabulously rich, but also courageous.
Not much compared to the more popular oriental beauties, but we believe this is just the beginning. In addition to fashion, the sheikh is very fond of music.
Prince of Saudi Arabia (and on Instagram - @ yolofahad) is not only good-looking, but also technically advanced: after graduating from Stanford University, he began working in one of the leadership positions at Facebook.
Fahad now runs his own company, NA3M, which creates games, comics and animation.
Al Hussein bin Abdullah II
Queen Rania's son inherited his mother's charisma and attractiveness, although in terms of the number of followers on Instagram (@ alhusseinjo) he is still far from her: some 1.6 million versus 4.8 million Rania fans.
Photo Gettyimages.ru/Instagram