In the course of more than120 radio talk shows and interviews, Americans repeatedly asked me what they should know about the terrorists and why American are hated in the Middle East.

USA intelligence seems to have had more bloopers in recent decades than the Jay Leno show. This misinformation affects not only the American nation and US policies abroad but also everyone in the world. US intelligence seemingly is either from non-native speakers that translate a language with no understanding or regard for the subtle cultural signals of how to interpret the intended messages or from recruited native-speakers whose translations and interpretations are influenced by patriotism and personal agendas. Both sources are suspect to the point of uselessness.

The naked truth is, we can’t afford to sleep with yet another devil, expecting the marriage will be sealed in heaven, praying that God will save us from the devil or, in this case, Al-Qaeda. We need correct intelligence to make informed decisions. Here is some food for thought.

Recently, President Bush publicly said that he doesn’t understand why it is okay for UK companies to control ports of entry to US but it is not okay for a UAE company to do so. The President seems to hear what he wants to see. Seeing the UAE as an ally against Terrorism may be comforting but what he sees is a misconstrued image. He appears to be fascinated by the number of US troops roaming freely in UAE, no air restrictions on American jet fighters, etc. Either the fear of an energy crisis prevents the US Government from learning how to deal with the Arab world or they don’t care or, honestly put, have no clue of how to deal with them.

Here are more reasons suggesting that the intelligence provided President Bush is based on wrong assumptions.

During my recent stay doing research in Dubai, UAE, I interviewed an alarming number of people who admire Al Qaeda. While the US president may think he has the support of everyone in the governing body of UAE, what he doesn’t know or want to admit is that the government of this country, although very Western at first glance, is run very much like a tribe; a modern tribe but, nevertheless, very much a tribe. It sits, 15 minutes by air from Iran, on the “Persian Gulf”, which UAE and other Arabic countries call “The Arabian Gulf.”

A word of advice to Mr. President; when an Arab man says, “Will do”, he is just being polite. There is no assurance or expectation, despite presumably sincere promises, that he will do as he says. The President recently declared the UAE an ally in the fight against Terrorism. What fight are we talking about? The cynical Arab mind does not perceive terrorism as we do. The motives and causes are not the same. We are naively kidding ourselves about having the Arabs on our side.

The Emirs of UAE are looking ahead to declining oil production in the coming decades; searching for ways to generate money from North Americans and European tourists. They have an elaborate plan to turn Dubai into a World Market, with 700 extravagant shopping centers; a luxury getaway appealing to the very rich and famous. My impression was there must be more Bentley and Rolls Royce cars on the streets of Dubai than there are in North America. The gap between the wealthy and the poor in this country is unimaginable. While the wealthy have half a dozen luxury cars, drivers, maids, servants, gardeners, etc, the poor can’t even beg or sleep on the street without being picked up by the police and either taken to jail or put on a small, unlivable amount of welfare to live or die in private.

The UAE sheiks are trying to preserve their dynasty and hang on to power by portraying themselves as strong. They do have a large quantity of cash and oil and basically own the islands that comprise the United Arabic Emirates. What they don’t have is a strong military presence. Right now, the military numbers less than 10,000. UAE law does not allow non-citizen residents to ever become citizens and even discriminates against locally born residents from foreign families. There is no source of personnel for major growth in their military.

This means, if hostilities occur, there is no way the UAE can start a draft or force sons of the wealthy local families to enlist in the military. The UAE relies on the USA for military defense and for that reason the UAE appears be a puppet of the USA and other industrial countries. Guess who gets the blame for all the idiosyncrasies in UAE laws?

We live in a world market and enjoy the freedom of being able to buy whatever we want, whenever we want. Dubai has been working diligently to become the world market gateway. We should consider that not everyone in Dubai is interested in helping America or saving American lives. My contacts in Dubai tell me point blank that money laundering is rampant there. We should recognize this as a potential conduit of money to Al Qaeda.

US officials acknowledge that only five per cent of international cargo is searched. This is a golden opportunity for “moles”, here and abroad, who have spent years maintaining a low profile and cultivating a false identity to cooperate in facilitating another atrocity dwarfing 9/11. Motivated by money, hatred of the “Great Satan” and “duty”, as defined by Bin Laden, dockworkers are ideally situated to conceal a nuclear device or weapons of mass destruction in containers guaranteed to not be inspected in Baltimore or New York; all indirectly aided by the USA. Now the question remains: if this happens, will the US still regard the UAE as an ally?

My instincts and observations in the UAE convince me that if the UAE is really such a staunch ally of the United States, there so many Iranian businessmen and government representatives would not be swarming Dubai. Nor would past and present political leaders of Iran and Arab nations be investing so heavily in a country they perceive as a Western ally.

The UAE has been doing an intricate PR dance, portraying itself as a Western ally while avoiding damaging ties to Arab sheikhs in Saudi Arabia. It has become, on the surface, more lenient, allowing use of pork and alcohol in the hotels for guests and residents who want to enjoy a freer life style or bask on the beach. With the help of the Canadian government and engineers and a lot of money the UAE has built one of the largest man made islands in the history of humankind to create the famous and fabulous Arabian Palms. They are selling an illusion, a tourist destination, a free world market and a heaven for those who want anything Monte Carlo style. They are building the tallest building in the world and every slick paper magazine in the US is selling apartments in towers yet to be built; seen only in computer-generated images.

For the US, however, the UAE is not about tall buildings. UAE has been a model Arab citizen, privately praying that the entire Arab world will follow suit. Imagine an Arab man, at lunch with a few Americans and Europeans, who can hold a glass of white wine in his right hand, a rosary in his left, and converse with a blond European woman as he glances at his Rolex, pretending to worry about his prayer time. How perfect, if it were only true.

Traditional Arabs may fight among themselves over money, land or women but will never kill each other to satisfy a foreigner! I do mean, Never!

Hasn’t anyone figured out why Bin Laden has not been found? The solidarity of the Arab nation is based on protecting one another.

The Arab world believes a prophecy originated after losing Spain to medieval fighters in the early centuries of Islam that, one day, the “Great Satan” will fall on his knees and Islam will return to the shores of the Western world and capture the people once more. This prophecy is not consistent with the teachings of Prophet Mohamad, who believed in peace. Nevertheless, Khomani’s declared the United States of America to be that “Great Satan.” That is why many radical Muslims will see the Port of Entry deal with the UAE as a green light to revive this old, misguided prophecy as a gateway to heaven for more suicide bombers against the US, at home and abroad.

The real UAE is a country in identity crisis. While allowing the usage of taboos in the heart of the Arab world, it is also building a mosque every 10 kilometers to support a cliché image of a Soldier of Islam. While the famous Burj-Al Arab hotel, stands tall in the ocean, overlooking the sea, it is carrying the largest cross ever built in the heart of an Islamic nation. Guess who is blamed for the cross?

To offset the threat of a nuclear Iran, UAE has recently started a Nuclear Research Program. The US seems unconcerned that this country will become a nuclear laboratory.

UAE sheikhs will, of course, manipulate anyone to close the next deal. That has played a great role in the PR saga they are presenting to advertise their country as a free, sunny destination. The only free thing in this country is the 300 beautiful days of pure sunshine that could be put to use as a source of cheap energy. Instead, it has been used for nothing except attracting European beach goers to toast themselves on the beaches of the perfectly blue southern Persian Gulf.

Not to mention the astronomical inflation rate the past three years, driving the poor out of the land to the very fringe of the Canadian made sea wall. Rest assured, in the UAE, nothing else is free. In fact, the inflation rate is at an all time peak; so much so that even the wealthy residents are complaining. Everyone in the UAE is worried that the economy bubble will burst soon. This will be another excuse to hate Westerners a bit more.

In a land that claims to be free, one’s freedom ends when one starts talking about it. The only thing that seems to matters in the UAE is “keeping up with the Jones.” Big is beautiful and bigger is better. Luxury shopping seems to be the only pastime the UAE government preaches, particularly to women. The modern woman, who thinks the UAE is a great gateway destination, is often looked upon as an improper, “loose” woman.

Proper Arab Women are covered head to toe, travel with bodyguards and have no right to vote. They are not allowed to drive a vehicle, even though non-citizen resident women may. They are not eligible for any government position unless they are related to or have influence with one of the sheiks and then only as a figurehead. Crime against women often goes unreported. Correcting prejudice against women, the poor, and non-citizen residents is not even at the bottom of the UAE government priority list.

I know both the Middle East and North America well enough to now call Canada home. I speak most of the languages spoken in the UAE, including Arabic, Farsi and Afghani. I research cultural differences within Middle Eastern history, society and human rights; trying to bridge the gap between North America and the Middle East; hopefully to witness a different world for future generations.

My motives are pretty clear. I have made a promise to God, to my readers and to myself to fight Terrorism any way I can. I see a window of opportunity for the terrorist to hurt US. As a practicing Muslim, an expert on the issues of the Middle East, and a Good Samaritan, I am doing my part to help the American nation understand a foreign culture that it seems to be simultaneously both afraid of and fascinated by.

I do hope Mr. President hears me and understands that I am not here to insult or criticize him but help him to make the right decision for the sake of our human family. If he listens, he will make an informed decision, or he can just make one he likes and hope that his decision doesn’t jeopardize the security of the United States and result in another 911.

To those who find criticism in everything, I am not here to be a whistle blower nor am I working for or against the USA intelligence services but someone has to do something or, in the next few months, we are going to regret the decisions being made.

I am already a target of radical Muslims and I am aware that continuing to speak out will make me even more vulnerable but, in the end, the legacy I want to leave is that of a good human being who tried to make a difference and save others, regardless of who or how they worship. This is the message of true Islam, Christianity and Judaism.

Ghazal Omid
Expert on Middle East, Iran, Human Right, and Women Rights Advocate.
Author, Living in Hell
www.livinginhell.com