JAILED FOR BEING RAPED

[HairOfTheDog]

Yes, those who have lived in the Middle East are better qualified to share insight regarding having lived in the Middle East than those who have not. I've not seen anyone argue that obvious point. Only you arguing that your first-hand experience/opinion trumped aussie's, upthread. Good to see you looking at that more objectively now, Mo.

Likewise, those who have lived in the US are better qualified to share insight about the experience and perceptions regarding living in the US than those who have not - as diverse as those experiences and perceptions may be. Now and again, however, someone who hasn't live in the US will position himself as having a deeper understanding of US culture, beliefs, and society than those who live it first-hand. Funny, innit?

I frequently learn about other countries from the first-hand experiences of our members in Australia, Europe, the US and the Middle East right here at Mock, along with gaining insight from global history buffs who have studied or read extensively on the subject (though they haven't, of course, lived everywhere in the world).

Certainly having lived a lifetime or a prolonged number of years in any geography doesn't automatically make one more aware of its history than outsiders. Some of us have an interest in history and others don't, whether that history be related to US/European/Middle Eastern relations, domestic policies, culture, gender relations, and/or anything else. Thank you for sharing your view of the US's history and influence in the Middle East.

So, getting back to where we left off, the UAE's culture, its policies towards women, its laws...are not dictated by the US, England, Australia, Yemen or anyone else. Its Islamic religion and the role that it plays in society (for men and women) is determined within the Emirates themselves, though they may well consider outside factors.

It's wise for anyone choosing to visit or relocate there to understand as much as possible about it beforehand to minimize the chances of ending up in situation like Ms. Dalelv, in my opinion. While I'm far from an expert on the subject, I have more insight about some of the practices in Dubai from having followed the story and read the experiences/opinions of others in this thread and then doing some additional reading. Yes, I'm therefore a bit behind in my investigation as to what Angelina Jolie ate for breakfast this week, but I feel it was worth the sacrifice.

[Mohammed]

The thing is this place can drive you pretty mad. It took me about a whole year of madness to somehow understand the place, followed by another year spend mostly swimming with my daughter in Aden and not giving a fuck. Now that's one of the most important requirements here if you want to keep your sanity, not to give a fuck.

Perhaps you saw the news about me when we opened our restaurant bar in this country where right after Saudi it is the one with a straight out ban on Alcohol. Forget about that woman being raped and jailed, I should have been the one being crucified, and trust me they tried. I was called all sort of names in the court room, people screaming for my head, and yet. Not only did they fail, but they actually let me continue. Why? Because you got to know how to deal with these fuckers.

And trust me, in that aspect they are pretty much the same, no matter if you are in Dubai, Doha, Bahrain, Jedda, Kabul or Sana'a. In every place you will find those tremendously religious and self righteous twats that just makes you pray they will be the ones on the next suicide bombing mission. The ones that cut of noses of their women, the ones that shoot young girls, the ones that find nothing wrong in marrying an 8 year old. It is those that seem to be having this tremendous fear of women, and love nothing more than being able to fully control them. Just as it was with our church in the Middle Ages it seems. In India it seems it has even taken on a much darker version looking at all that gang raping going on. Since long time if a father had more than 4 girls, many times two or even three of them simply committed suicide. The acid attacks from scorned lovers are famous there. In China they were throwing new born girls out into the garbage. Most probably in some areas still do.

Seriously, I got no idea what's that all about with women, I actually find them to be rather .... nice.

[HairOfTheDog]

The thing is this place can drive you pretty mad. It took me about a whole year of madness to somehow understand the place, followed by another year spend mostly swimming with my daughter in Aden and not giving a fuck. Now that's one of the most important requirements here if you want to keep your sanity, not to give a fuck.

I'm glad you made it work, and by the looks of it, work very well for you and your family. Not giving a fuck about some things works as a sanity-preserver for me too. Only so many fucks to give, why waste them on things that cannot be changed? Adapt.

The initial "trauma" (for lack of a better word) that you endured as you adapted was probably key towards your understanding what it takes to survive and thrive in your environment. The rockiest times are often the ones that pay off the most in the end, if you're smart and not of the mindset to be a consummate victim. At least, for me.

Perhaps you saw the news about me when we opened our restaurant bar in this country where right after Saudi it is the one with a straight out ban on Alcohol. Forget about that woman being raped and jailed, I should have been the one being crucified, and trust me they tried. I was called all sort of names in the court room, people screaming for my head, and yet. Not only did they fail, but they actually let me continue. Why? Because you got to know how to deal with these fuckers.

I can imagine that your success stems as much or more from skill at dealing with people strategically as it does strong business and culinary talents - especially where you've chosen to set up your biz and care for your family.

Sounds like a good dose of adventure around most every corner and also some risks. If you can manage the risks and you and Jelly agree to the cost/benefit trade-off therein, beats the hell out of being bored and living some place lacking diversity, for those with explorers' hearts.

I always enjoy your updates; specifically looking forward to the summer photos and narratives, when you have time.

And trust me, in that aspect they are pretty much the same, no matter if you are in Dubai, Doha, Bahrain, Jedda, Kabul or Sana'a....

I trust you. It's sometimes incomprehensible to me that these practices continue, and yet they do. I know that you're spot on about how, in some places, the freedoms afforded to women roller coasters between improving, declining, stagnating, improving again...on and on over the decades, depending on who's in power, religion, and probably many other influences.

At any point in time, it is, in fact, just the way they do it "there" (wherever) and some of those who we view as being most negatively impacted genuinely accept it, others embrace it, and many probably resent it - though lack the opportunity to voice protest or affect change. And, on it goes...

Seriously, I got no idea what's that all about with women, I actually find them to be rather .... nice.

I generally like other women too. And men. Men are very...nice, overall, though the harder-edged ones are sometimes good too.

[Mohammed]

Well, here comes a woman with the perfect answer to all the troubles in the Middle East. Made me really laugh.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-...uwait.html

"A Kuwaiti woman who once ran for parliament has called for sex slavery to be legalised - and suggested that non-Muslim prisoners from war-torn countries would make suitable concubines.

Salwa al Mutairi argued buying a sex-slave would protect decent, devout and 'virile' Kuwaiti men from adultery because buying an imported sex partner would be tantamount to marriage.

And she even had an idea of where to 'purchase' these sex-salves - browsing through female prisoners of war in other countries."

She looks fucking frightening!!

[HairOfTheDog]

And she even had an idea of where to 'purchase' these sex-salves - browsing through female prisoners of war in other countries."

She looks fucking frightening!!

She's a complete moron and publicity hound.

But, hey, at least her sex-slave advocacy includes a requirement that the female POW be at least 15 years old and considered "married' to her owner.

She does look frightening in the Mail photo that was published. I think it may just be that black isn't her color though. She's much more appealing in red.

[Duchess]

Whoa.

[Jimbone]

That's a guy.

[Duchess]

Guy, woman, ugly fucker. Even the smile is startling.

[Jimbone]

She looks like an old school carnival barker.

[aussiefriend]

Guy, woman, ugly fucker. Even the smile is startling.

This is what always amazes me. She would be cashed up for sure. All that money she would have, and she can't go and get herself fixed? Start with cosmetic dentistry. Lose a few pounds, get a trainer, a surgeon, something. My God, she is frightfully ugly, she has taken it to a whole other level. She is fugly.

You never know how life turns out, it could happen that this 'law' advocating for sex slavery could turn around and bite her on the ass. There might be some desperate perverted sick deprived individual out there who decides to take her and make her his sex slave. Evil evil evil.