The UAE is making a tremendous mistake by partnering with the US and Israel in the ongoing battle with Iran, according to top US economist Jeffrey Sachs. He warned that if the UAE decides to enter the battle, its big cities, Dubai and Abu Dhabi, may be bombed.
According to the American economist, Dubai and Abu Dhabi are not military zones, but rather popular tourism spots where wealthy tourists may rest and enjoy themselves. He noted that entering the war could make these cities targets for strikes.
According to the Financial Times, the UAE has informed its allies, including the United States, that it is willing to join a multinational maritime task force aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz, as it seeks to form a coalition to ensure the safe passage of ships through the critical Gulf waterway.
“Basically, Dubai and Abu Dhabi could be blown up if the UAE gets into the war. These are resort areas. These are tourist destinations. These are not fortified missile defence areas. These are places where rich people are going to party and put their money. And to enter a war zone is to defeat the entire purpose of a place like Dubai. The Emirates got itself into an absurd mess with its eyes open. And it keeps doubling down, by the way,” Sachs said, while speaking to ANI.
Sachs also stated that Gulf countries, especially the UAE, made a ‘fundamental miscalculation’ by signing the Abraham Accords to become partners with the United States. Sachs recommended the UAE to focus on safeguarding itself rather than relying on the US to provide security against external threats.
“I don’t want to be misunderstood, but the naivete of this announcing yesterday that we’re going to join this effort against the evil Iranians, and we’re going to continue to honour our commitment to put trillions of dollars into the United States. Come on. Enough. Protect yourself. Understand the situation. You think that doubling down on a losing proposition is really the right way to proceed at this point, but that’s exactly what they’re doing,” he said.
Iran has frequently cautioned Western Asian countries not to allow the US to launch attacks from military sites on their soil. It has stated that any country that hosts such bases may face consequences if those facilities are utilized against Iran.
