Why are the UAE (particularly Dubai) and Saudi Arabia so nice with no unrest when all the other parts of the middle east are so unfixable?
>>55995373
Money
also
>nice
>>55995373
Saudi Arabia is a literal welfare state where everyone gets to live comfortably so long as they don't rock the boat.
Oil money ensures no one wants for food or shelter or entertainment.
Expect it to turn into Somalia when the gravy train inevitably runs out.
And it will. Look at their unemployment rate, then look at what % of their employed population works in oil.
>>55995496
All these rich gulf states rely almost 100% on foreigners to extract the oil, construct their cities, run their economy etc. My dad is a consultant, and he was employed by the Qatari government to do some studies on the general native population. He concluded, in the politest possible terms of course, that the native Qataris were basically a bunch of useless, spoilt, uneducated brats with no skills or qualifications that could drive their economy. So when the oil money runs out and the immigrants pack up and leave, that place will revert to the stone age.
>>55995496
And the UAE?
Anyway, the oil isn't going to be a problem ever.
>>55995373
They are repressive police states.
People enjoy treading the line when they've got everything to lose.
>>55995651
The oil is already a problem.
The Saudis are crashing the price of oil hard trying to get rid of US oil drilling.
I don't think it will work, too many jobs have been created.
And even if they don't run out of oil green energy is inevitable. The day the world has no need for oil is the day Saudia Arabia becomes a war zone.
The UAE is very similar to Saudi Arabia as a whole. They're stable because they're extremely affluent and can keep kebabs from kebabbing, but if and when they can't afford to pay people to exist they'll be war zones too.
The difference being their military and weapon stockpiles are small, while Saudi Arabia is one of the most well armed countries on the planet.
>>55995941
Aren't the Saudis pissed at the yanks wanting to open up Iran for oil trading?
>>55995941
Presumably they're investing in green energy then? Or can you not export that type of energy?
>>55996032
Yeah, I thought they were trying to do solar power stuff
>>55996032
Do you not know what green energy is?
I just. What.
Like, okay, you could export electricity created via green energy to neighboring states. Sure. But unless you're going to sell giant batteries to the US or something you cannot export green energy, no.
Saudi Arabia is literally ISIS.
>>55996159
Shhh
>>55996159
He asked if you can export green energy.
I didn't want to be rude and call him dumb but I couldn't resist piling on a bit more to such a ridiculous notion.
I mean I guess the Saudis could just build a million solar panels and then construct power lines halfway around the world to Florida and sell electricity to the US that way too.
But that's a tad difficult to do.
Because Islam is the Devil's religion.
>>55996121
The Netherlands is going to export green energy. Where is your god now?
http://www.shell.com/media/news-and-media-releases/2015/shell-to-install-nationwide-network-hydrogen-vehicle-fuelling-pumps-germany.html
>>55995941
>Saudi Arabia is one of the most well armed countries on the planet.
And one of the least trained, least professional, and least disciplined.
>>55995373
>so nice
Define "nice"
If you mean "rich", it's because the local government struck a deal with the west and a handful of people were allowed to keep some money made from oil.
>no unrest
Unrest is suppressed.
>other parts of the middle east are so unfixable
Nobody tried to fix middle east.
The UAE and Qatar seem to be a bit more diversified. They've built Dubai and Doha into large international hubs based between Europe and Asia. Maybe they will fair a bit better when the oil runs out.
>>55996403
>Nobody tried to fix middle east.
People have tried for years.
>>55996379
You just know that what will happen is that they have a "revolution" by ISIS style jihadists, who then get their hands on masses of high quality shit because the Saudi army is joke tier.
>>55996248
I know It's be silly to get to the U.S but could it be done for Europe, India etc?
>>55996296
This is an article about Shell Corps installing alternative fuel stations in Germany. What did I miss that talks about the Nederlends?
>>55996379
I can only imagine how many fucking mercs are gonna be hired by all those Saudi Princes after they realize how useless the army is.
>>55996521
Of course it can be done. Importing and exporting business is done on an hourly basis in Europe. Countries are constantly buying and selling energy.
>>55996546
>I literally have no idea where Royal Dutch Shell is from
t. clueless yank
>>55996466
>People have tried for years.
Who are those people?
Middle east had nothing to fix until you fucked everything up.
>>55996521
It'd be pretty difficult, but then oil pipelines do stretch across the borders of multiple countries so far from impossible.
The main problem is the Saudis are not investing in green energy, rather they're actively attempting to sabotage it.
>>55996604
Are you stuck at the Macedonian border by any chance?
>>55996604
More accurately, the Middle East just can't handle democracy because they're backwards dumbfucks.
>>55996546
We have the biggest port and refineries in europe. And the biggest private oil company and biggest energy trading company in the world.
>>55996566
McDonalds is from the US, but it's hardly a governmental thing when they open a new burger joint overseas. I don't see what Netherlands has to do with a private company is all.
>>55996505
>>55996546
Yep, it'll be Koran 2: Islamic boogaloo
Well, the problem I see will be a logistics and maintenance one. They won't be able to tend their equipment since that job, too, is contracted out to Westerner infidels.
>>55996015
>Aren't the Saudis pissed at the yanks wanting to open up Iran for oil trading?
the butthurt is palpable.
also there's a lot of unrest in the eastern Saudi province, as well as Bahrain.
>>55996665
I've been to Europort a few times to drop off oil. Nice place, busy as fuck though.
>>55996672
Are you really asking this question? Because holy fuck do you genuinely not realise how important energy companies are for national economies and how much the governments are involved with them.
>>55996665
Hm well alright. Good on ya mate.
I'm hoping we can make some real breakthroughs in alternative energy soon because I am tired if oil and it's control of world affairs.
>>55995373
Subsidies and hand-outs to keep the native population docile. I am not sure how sustainable it is. But with all the oil they can probably keep it going for a pretty long time.
>>55996660
>can't handle democracy
>they're backwards dumbfucks
>>55996643
>only filthy immigrants support not killing people in ME
Stupid brainwashed anglos. Not even worth trying to convince you.
>>55996672
They say 25% of Shell is owned by the King (not sure if it's true, but a past queen had it).
Our former Prime Ministers brother was into oil pipelines. It's very much a government thing.
Our King often goes on trade missions with the captain of industries of the Netherlands.
>>55996741
I actually do not have much knowledge of how intertwined energy companies are with governments in Europe, sorry.
It's just never really come up.
Energy companies in the US aren't particularly intertwined beyond the standard government bailouts and you fucked up hearings.
>>55996604
How many people drowned on your boat crossing, Abdul?
>>55996826
Our last vice prime minister now works for shell.
>>55996825
t.Ahmed behind a fence
>>55996825
Only filthy immigrants would think the ME was fine before the West started meddling.
>>55996826
That's interesting. So it's a private international company with the governing body of the Netherlands also acting as major CEOs.
Learn something new every day.
>>55996873
>>55996826
Big corporations own the Dutch government. Not really the other way around.
>>55996932
The Netherlands has always been fist deep in trade. During colonial times Indonesia was literally owned by the VOC (dutch east india company). The remains of the VOC turned into Dutch petroleum which turned into Shell.
>>55996932
It's the same in a lot of Yurope. We have the same thing with BP.
>>55995373
because of oil'n'gas money
/thread
>>55995496
aren't they heavily investing in green energy because they know they can't live off fossil fuels forever?
>>55996989
Oh no, the voc didn't turn into Dutch petroleum. They just replaced each other.
What is more likely at this point, NATO war with Iran, or Saudi Arabia falling to islamist Jihadis?
>>55996989
Yeah I knew of the country being heavily trade oriented in the past, I just didn't realize how much that continued into the present.
Makes perfect sense though.
>>55996032
>being a dumb inbred Pakinigger
>>55997063
War with Iran seems incredibly unlikely at this point. Actual compromise has been reached and talks continue and are even expanding.
But the Saudi hold on the country has been revealed to be incredibly weak. Hundreds of rich and influential people who want to be the king with strong ties to terrorist organizations round the world.
All it takes is one coup and it'll make Syria look like a minor skirmish by comparison.
>>55995373
1. Oil. It guarantees an almost endless supply of money even for a country that barely produces anything in terms of actual industry, agriculture and services.
2. Friends of America. Americans are oil addicted so it's almost guaranteed Saudi Arabia and UAE will never be "liberated".
3. Stable monarchies with little to no democratic input. This, combined with point 2, means any Islamist uprising is pretty much doomed to fail.
That, and those countries still practice sharia in a limited form (they're not too different from ISIS in punishing apostates and thieves, and they even have a "moral police" that enforces Sharia).
>>55995647
>So when the oil money runs out and the immigrants pack up and leave, that place will revert to the stone age.
Pretty much this. Their resources are a curse and their leaders don't have the insight to invest their oil money into something independent of Saudi-Arabia's natural resources. I don't even think they refine their own oil.
>>55997204
Yeah, I'm inclined to agree. It seemed like a war with Iran was really close at one point but now things are much more reasonable diplomatically.
I do wonder, if SA does have a war, what the fuck will happen with Mecca.
Also there is only one good middle east country -- Lebanon. Probably because of strong historical christianity positions.
>>55997290
>what the fuck will happen with Mecca.
>>55997303
>Lebanon.
1. The Civil War ruined its reputation as the Switzerland of the Levant, and Beirut isn't exactly the Paris of the East anymore.
2. Guess what! Those Christians? They're leaving the country faster than rats on a sinking ship.
>>55997290
I want to say it will be left alone. Isn't Jerusalem relatively calm as there's a bit of an agreement to let the place be? Osama said he would never attack that Jewish wall right?
Could just be misremembering.
I'm sure fighting would occur but it's such a holy site that any group that damages the city let alone the black box would undoubtably be condemned by the entire Muslim world.
>>55997342
Well when you're positioned just north of Nazi Germany 2.0. what do you expect?
>>55997363
>I'm sure fighting would occur but it's such a holy site that any group that damages the city let alone the black box would undoubtably be condemned by the entire Muslim world.
You've got to remember that ISIS are literal nutters though. I wouldn't put it past them. Also, suppose there was a war, just think of the morale boost for one side holding Mecca. I'd imagine it would end up being one of the fiercest places for fighting just to say you have control of it.
>>55997107
Well, in the USA big companies are very influential. But when such large ones exist in a country the size and population of Florida they become increasingly powerful. Things like Unilever Shell, Vitol, Phillips and ING and the Rabobank and so on are a all a matter of national interest. Phillips literally decides what's being taught on technical universities. Our only private university is owned by the corporations.
In Europe Incandescent light bulb were banned because Philips requested our government to lobby for it so they could sell their energy saving lamps, which our government has admitted.
Employer and employee rights aren't really a government affair in the Netherlands but are decided by the employee and employer unions. The employee union = big corps. Our government always awaits their advice before doing anything economy related.
>>55997489
Philips also plays in the Champions League.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PSV_Eindhoven
In a strange way I'd like to see how Dubai would look after a war.
>>55995373
They are Wahhabi scums, the worst kind of Shitslam.
![latest[1].jpg](https://i.imgur.com/iUUniPL.jpg "latest[1].jpg")
>>55997728
>>55997728
It would be such a waste. It's really a fantastic job what they did with Dubai in one lifetime. From a desert village with no electricity to this.
>>55997489
>The labour unions play a major role in the Dutch economy because, first, they bargain with employers' organizations over wages and working conditions (these deals are binding for all employed people), and second, they advise the government on economic legislation through its membership of the Social-Economic Council (SER).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trade_unions_in_the_Netherlands
Our employer and employee unions literally tell the government what policies to make.
>>55997787
It's a tacky soulless shithole
>>55997379
Your flag is a dirty period rag proxy jap
>>55997787
It's a Disneyland city with no aesthetic idea behind it.
Same as what Mecca is now.
>>55998252
your flag is sexy :^)
>>55998252
Ha, might as well call you a proxy as well.
I'm a Westerner, and my point stands; no wonder your response.
>>55998193
>>55998344
Sounds like a bunch of hollow phrases to me. Why would Dubai be soulless or a disney land while cities aren't?
>>55998410
*while other cities aren't
>>55998410
History.
>>55998410
If you can't understand why then you have no taste, in which case it's perfect for you.
>>55998462
But you're seeing history being made.
>>55998473
If you can't form a cohesive argument then Australia is perfect for you.
>>55998545
You can say that about everything.
The fact is, big money playgrounds will always feel soulless, as just throwing money at the problem doesn't fix it.
>>55996725
Iranian oil has very little affect on the market. They are a minor player.
Almost all Iranian oil is sold to China or Southern Europe. My opinion is that the deal was done to pad Obama's legacy.
>>55995941
>The Saudis are crashing the price of oil hard trying to get rid of US oil drilling.
That's a good thing.
>>55998721
>Iranian oil has very little affect on the market. They are a minor player.
Right now, but that's only because sanctions have been lifted recently, and even then not hugely. Give it a few years.
>>55998252
Whatever you say Mr. Hitlerstein
>>55998694
>big money playgrounds will always feel soulless
You can call London and New York a lot of things, but certainly not soulless.
>>55996725
>also there's a lot of unrest in the eastern Saudi province, as well as Bahrain.
Indeed. This is a sign of the ongoing cold war between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Bahrain is a country of a Shiite majority ruled by a Sunni, anti-Iranian monarchy. When the Arab Spring hit Bahrain, the Shiites protested and began to revolt against the Sunni. The Saudis, not wanting Shiite/Iranian power and influence in the region to grow, sent in their military to help the Bahraini monarchy crackdown on the revolt.
>>55998948
That's because they have history. They developed gradually. A bit less so for NY, but still, it wasn't going from 0 to City in a few years.
>>55999056
So if there's a war between Saudis and Iranians it would be fought in Bahrain?
>>55998410
Dubai is even more soulless than Singapore mate, at least we have a nightlife; Dubai is literally run by mad Muhams
>>55999160
It'd be fought over the Persian Gulf. But I think both countries would rather use proxies to do advance their interests.
- Iran backing Syrian government (Alawite) vs. Saudi backing rebels (Sunni)
- Iran backing the Houthis (Shiite) in Yemen vs. Saudi backing Hadi government forces (Sunni, for the most part)
- Iran-created Hezbollah (Shiite) in Lebanon vs. the Gulf Cooperation Council (Sunni Gulf powers) labeling Hezbollah a terrorist organization
- Shiite uprising in Bahrain, perhaps supported by Iran vs. Saudi-backed Sunni monarchy
I'm not even mentioning Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province.
>>55995373
go to dubai and try to start shit, post pics of what happens
>>55995496
fun part about their employment/unemployment ratio is that the majority of people who actualy do any real work are afgans/pakis/indians etc... they basicaly outsource most of their labor
it will be so much fun when it their bubbles start bursting, itl be some fucking post-apoc cyberpunk shit
>>55995496
Most of the people who don't work for the oil companies, work for the Government. There's a bunch of Government jobs over there where they over-employ people just to skew stats / give them something to do, so there's a lot of jobs where people only show up once a week or whenever they want to.
Before the oil-price downfall, people weren't even taxed and that gave an excuse to those who mention democratizing the Government and reducing the strength of the monarchy as "Hey, you guys are getting free-shit and aren't even forced to pay to fund the Government like everyone else, therefor you don't get a say in what happens. So shut up and enjoy the show." But now, they're introducing taxes to the population, and it's starting to spark some talk that the people / tax base should be in charge of some of the policy making, if not more, which is winding up both sides.
>>55995373
>>55998799
Nigga even five years ago they were a minor player.
>>55996546
>tfw you will never be employed by a Saudi oil prince to protect and defend his estate against other clans and contenders with a bunch of other contracted mercenaries
>tfw you will never re-live Anabasis 2: Electric Boogaloo
>>55995373
2bh there isn't much to do in Dubai unless you're filthy rich. and even then, Dubai is pretty boring compared to other big cities.
t. lives in Dubai
>>55999437
The whole place is going to be a warzone within the next few years.
>>55995373
>Saudi Arabia
>so nice
t. Mehmet
>>55999392
Singapore is nowhere as developed as Dubai.
>>55999839
Where did I say it was?
>>55999574
What bubble? Oil is still valuable as fuck and the price is rising again.
It'll be years before they have to actually work.
>>55999574
>start shit
how do you mean
>>55999731
Oil money/No money
>>55999836
"I've always said, the only difference between Detroit and a third-world country is that Detroit doesn't have goats in the street."
—Sam Riddle, on corruption, while simultaneously being investigated for corruption
>>55999886
idk, like try setting a trashcan on fire see how long it takes you to get 40 lashes and sell all your possesion to pay the fine
>>55999861
they built A LOT and a large part of their finances is held up by all sorts of shady transactions and malversations, the oil cant keep them up forever, it just a question of time
>>55999392
>Dubai
>no nightlife
Confirmed for not knowing anything about Dubai
>>55999947
What about venezuela
>>55996660
democracy is for retards
