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| Arabia |
| Expatriate life in the Magic Kingdom losing its luster. Really. |
| 2004-06-09 |
| They earn good money, pay no taxes, enjoy luxurious lifestyles and lead insulated lives in Western compounds. A year of increasingly violent attacks against Western targets that killed more than 80 people had done little to unsettle the lives of Saudi Arabia’s tens of thousands of expatriates — until May 29. That day’s attack by Al Qaeda on the residential Oasis compound in the oil city of Khobar in eastern Saudi Arabia seemed different. "That was horrific...What made it different was the hostage-taking. They went asking people about their religion and nationality," said Frances Ross, a Canadian dentist who lives at the posh Kingdom expatriate compound in the capital Riyadh. "I don’t feel safe on the compound anymore because Oasis was a very secure compound and they were able to get in. "I have no confidence that the guards outside our compounds are not sympathizers of Al Qaeda and giving them information about us," added another expatriate who did not give her name. Sitting by the pool at the heavily-fortified Kingdom compound a week after the attack, the talk among the expatriates was the same — who is leaving and who will stay. Most said the Khobar attack, on a compound similar to theirs, made them recognize the danger. "If they [militants] can walk into a compound what would stop them? What’s next? When they managed to escape that was the last straw that made me decide to leave," said Saeed Karam, a Lebanese who works for an advertising firm. "We’re in a dilemma. Being in a compound is like being a sitting duck. If we can’t live on compounds it’s better to leave. This is why expatriates tolerated life here, the compound environment is friendly and free. If this is out of the formula it’s not worth living here," he added. Layla, an American-Egyptian, was already packing to leave for Egypt with her two daughters but said her husband would stay in his job in Saudi Arabia. "My husband feels there is an escalation, that the situation will not get back to normal. After this attack, he immediately decided we should leave," she said. "I’m very upset about leaving. I’ve lived here for 20 years. For me this is home. My daughter hasn’t stopped crying. She doesn’t want to go. I could convince my husband to change his mind but I don’t want to take the risk. If something happens I’ll never forgive myself. What happened is beyond imagination." An estimated six million foreigners work in Saudi Arabia, home to 24 million people. Most of the roughly 100,000 Westerners enjoy affluent lifestyles in compounds that compensate for the kingdom’s ultraconservative customs. Entering one is like stepping into another world of miniature Western towns. Women can dress without a veil or abaya (traditional cloak), they mingle freely with men — customs prohibited by Saudi Arabia’s austere interpretation of Islamic Sharia law. Inside, life is an up-market replica of home. They have mixed swimming pools, tennis courts, spas, restaurants, recreation centers, supermarkets, their own schools, boutiques and some have cinemas which are banned in the rest of the country. This luxury has lost its appeal. Many, feeling jittery, said their peace of mind vanished after the Khobar assault. It prompted many foreigners to consider repatriating dependants while they continue with their jobs. Some companies have decided to send Western staff home or relocate them to Bahrain or the United Arab Emirates. Many were still undecided and waiting for the school year to end. The Swedish school in Riyadh which caters for 800 Swedish residents, had just employed two extra teachers, but there are only 10 confirmed pupils for next year. "We just got here in March. We’re considering our options... We did not want to leave but we might cut short our assignment," said Ross, whose husband works for a French firm. Many said the environment has become much more hostile and they were trying to adopt a low profile, avoiding hotels, restaurants and other places frequented by Westerners. "I don’t go to downtown shopping or to the souks like before. I don’t go to the supermarket anymore," said Scott, an American contractor. "When I am driving I try not to be in the middle lane, I am conscious of my surroundings and try to ensure I have the room to flee if I am chased," he said. Born and brought up in Saudi Arabia where his father worked, Scott said he would base his decision to leave on finances and not security. "I don’t feel more at risk of dying here than when I’m home," said Scott, whose compound was one of three struck by suicide bombers in May last year. Most Westerners said they feel safe and welcomed by business associates and ordinary Saudis but that the hatred of Islamists who regard them as infidels worth killing has got to them. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |
| #23 Re: Senor Pacos - Never made it there, though I stayed in the Gulf back in '92. Re: Causeway - yeah, I guess a suicider could pull it off - I get it. Re: RamaLamaDingDongers - Lol! We used to try out bars in Bahrain trying to find something interesting, but the Saudis always ruined it. In fact, speaking of the Gulf Hotel, ever been to the StarLite Room downstairs there? I learned the hard way that you don't want to sit too close to the aisles leading to the bathroom. Mixing beer and Black Russians and Singapore Slings (prolly collecting the little umbrellas) the Saudis couldn't handle it... they'd make a mad dash for the bathroom and didn't always make it. I think Bobcat Goldthwaite calls it target-vomiting. Lol! Wotta buncha 'tards. And, during Ramadan, the Saudis at Aramco are pretty funny - they stop coming in at all after about the first week. Dragging ass all day cuz they haven't had a moment's sleep in days. Trying to make up for 11 months of stupidity all at once doesn't work out very well! You must be describing in-Camp "sid" bingers! Ah, I can tell you're gonna miss it! A tip: collect some of the really stupid shit before you go, like the Prayer Time cards they hang on the door, a few Prayer Schedules and rugs, and some Camp Newspapers, etc. People don't really "get it" until they experience it, but some of these things make it "real" for 'em. If you have a digital camera take alot of video, too! Lol! |
| Posted by: .com 2004-06-10 6:03:46 AM |
| #22 .com, Senor Pacos is the oldest Mexican resturant in Bahrain. It is behind the Gulf Hotel, towards the Port. About the Causeway, it is not about being shot or decapitated we are worried about. it is about being blown up. The "head" terrorist issued an statement after the Khobar massacre, naming it as a possible target. Suicide bombing is a very distinct possibility here. Not being able to go to Bahrain is bad for us but imagine how bad it will be for the thousands of Saudis (and other muslims) who, this year, will not be able to go on a binge in preparation for their holy month of hypocrisy. |
| Posted by: Anonymous4617 2004-06-10 5:42:35 AM |
| #21 Ah, So even Bahrain isn't worth it now. I've got some friends who must be dying, then. How in the world can anyone "hang out" on the Causeway to do nastiness? I certainly can't see it without complicity from the Customs and/or Immigration people. Sheesh! And that means you have to fly out through Dammam - which sucks, IMHO! Pacos - nope, I didn't find that one. Hmmm, it rings a small bell... I seem to recall some billboards in Bahrain advertising that name - a restaurant? Lol! Wish I'd run into you way back when! |
| Posted by: .com 2004-06-10 4:42:59 AM |
| #20 .com, Thanks for the suggestion. We have been to Ric's several times. It is a cholesterol feast! We stopped going to Bahrain after an incident, where a bunch of ninja looking "militants" went into a restaurant and threatened to kill westerners and alcohol-drinking muslims alike. The number of demostrations there have increased in the past few months and in the last one, bricks and other objects were flown at the Embassy walls. I believe some people got hurt. Moreover, the causeway is a target now. Did you frequent Pacos? |
| Posted by: Anonymous4617 2004-06-10 4:24:32 AM |
| #19 Rafael - there's not enough housing in-Camp - at any of the Aramco facilities (some have 'camp' housing) - already. And Camp housing is reserved for 'Aramcons' - employees, Contractors need not apply. And the Saudization program means don't hire Expats as employees, hire as Contractors. Point being, the Aramco "improved security" is total horseshit - they're hiring people who will have to live in Khobar compounds. Game. Set. Match. They will have to relax other rules, such as no one under 35, no less than 10 yrs experience in occupation being hired for, maybe the Univ Degree which must be relevant to occupational title, and who knows what else. I think they can get fools, but they'll have to make some compromises. All of those requirements (and others not advertised) are designed to give them stable, non-womanizing, non-drunkard, professional people. It works. When they change them to fit who's applying, they won't get the same Steady Eddie types. They prolly will have to pay through the nose, too. I think it is a band-aid on a sucking chest wound. But hey, mebbe they can limp along for awhile. |
| Posted by: .com 2004-06-10 1:19:58 AM |
| #18 Hehe check this out: Saudis recruiting Canadians for oil jobs |
| Posted by: Rafael 2004-06-10 1:08:32 AM |
| #17 A4617 - I have some friends still there who used to do the 4WD thing down in the empty quarter - collecting artifacts when they could find them. I say "used to" only because I assume they have or will stop, now. I certainly understand your situation. First trip over I didn't figure it out very well - spent most of what I made. Last time I lived like a dog - only the lowest-end compound apartment I could find for a "perk" and saved quite a bit. But when it began to feel "wrong" I didn't hesitate to get out and stop trying to hang around. The adventure wore thin when the travel costs too much. It was really cheeeeep to get to great places, like Singapore or Bangkok, on the first trip. After Gulf War I, however, the inflated air prices stayed inflated - never really came back down because people were willing to pay. Rip-off. So second trip lost the only thing that really attracted me. So, I just put my head down and worked. That dimwit is well-named. N.O. is definitely okay if you know your way around, and I do, a little. I have a recommendation for you & yours. Some weekend, hop over to Bahrain and go to a restaurant named Ric's Country Kitchen. It's across a wide, open, empty block, from the Main Moskkk. I may have this mangled, but here goes... If you stay on the same highway that turns into the Causeway, take it all the way to the Arch and turn left, as 3 of 4 lanes do (IIRC), you will see the Moskkk come up on the right after a few miles. Turn right on last street before the moskkk and then look to your right and you'll see the open empty block then a row of bldg facing you on the next street over running parallel - Ric's is there. He's a Cajun who cooks Texas & TexMex, too. For breakfast - the Lumberjack will test your stamina. For Lunch or Dinner - the steaks or the BBQ - both rock. A great taste of home. Best fried okra and chicken fried steak in the ME! |
| Posted by: .com 2004-06-10 1:02:29 AM |
| #16 .com, You are so right when you say that some people here have a distorted perception of what is normal. Just yesterday, this particular dim wit from down the street, was commenting how living in New orleans was far more dangerous than living here. This stupid woman could not understand that although there is a lot crime in the US, the motivation behind the crimes is different and, that, statistically speaking, the rate of murder here and now is a lot higher than in any city in the US. She refuses to see the difference between somebody hunting you down because you are white and a Westerner versus somebody trying to rob you and being killed in the process. That in the West, you can avoid being a victim of crime by avoiding certain areas and that there is no place to hide here. That in the US (the West) people do not take others out of their homes and execute them because of their religious beliefs. People have different goals when they come here. Ours was to save money so we could retire before 50. We never have considered or will consider this a paradise. This country is devoid of everything that makes life interesting (theaters, museums, gigantic libraries, symphonies, festivals, true diversity of cultures, etc) and a lot people fall into the trap of spending what they should be saving to make life tolerable. Of course, there are those to whom having access to a swimming pool and cheap labor (maid, garderners,etc) is their idea of paradise. It is not ours or our friend's. The one thing that made life tolerable for us, besides the money, of course, was taken away on Sept 11th: going to the desert to camp out. Our first year, we camped out across the country from Dhahran to the outskirt of Medina (infidels are not allowed in the city). Now we cannot even go outside this freaking compound for fear of being shot dead. |
| Posted by: Anonymous4617 2004-06-10 12:33:38 AM |
| #15 Any staying in the Magic Kingdom or similar might like to look at Daniel Pipe's tip for how to survive a kidnapping or shooting attack, where the attackers try to distinguish Muslims from Non-Muslims for execution. |
| Posted by: Anon1 2004-06-10 12:29:47 AM |
| #14 They've been having a slow-burn level of crap in Bahrain for about 18 months, now. The new "king" pardoned all of the "militants" that the old Emir had exiled. What a dumbass. Ever since, they've been headed toward the extreme. Example: ALL of the bars outside of the "approved" hotels are closed, now, etc. All the talk about liberalization in Bahrain is BS - it lasted about a minute - did a 180 deg turn and been headed toward extremism for that 18 months. The turbans run everything the "king" and PM don't handle (read: skim from) directly. I haven't been to the UAE in about 3 yrs - so I can't speak to specifics there, sorry. Egypt seems to be a pot that boils constantly - and the Brotherhood was very busy lately, IIRC. Seems to me Dan (or was it Paul?) posted some heavy stuff on them in the last few weeks. Mubarek's position is precarious, IMHO. As long as he's willing to be utterly ruthless it seems he can stop it boiling over. I think a Saudi collapse would end all pretenses, however. Mubarek's not a tough AF Officer Stud anymore - he's pure despot - and old. Think he'll hang on if SA falls or just turns chaotic and limps along? I don't - I think he steals more from his US Aid than Arafart ever dreamed of getting away with - who's to stop him? He doesn't have faith his son can take over - I think he'll retire somewhere expensive. Just my $0.02. |
| Posted by: .com 2004-06-10 12:05:18 AM |
| #13 .com, I was thinking in terms of both useful idiots trying to commit violence and shit-hit-the-fan scenarios. I guess a better question would be: if the shit hits the fan in Saudi Arabia, how long is it going to take until there are problems of varying degrees in Bahrain, or the UAE, or Egypt? Are there likely to be "sympathetic revolutions"? |
| Posted by: Phil Fraering 2004-06-09 11:16:53 PM |
| #12 Ex-pat life would be easier if they lived as occupiers. Millions of Hindus, Phillipinos and South Americans have the skills to run the oil industry, under Anglo-American command. I would turf the Wahabs out to the desert, where they can live with camels and scorpions. Mecca and Medina? Five H-Bs each! |
| Posted by: Dog Bites Trolls 2004-06-09 10:24:49 PM |
| #11 Phil - They're not safe. Add Indonesia, Malasia, Morrocco, Tunisia, S. Thailand, Qatar, etc. These place all have some useful idiot segment that would happily facilitate attacks. Look at Morrocco - I would have thought it as safe as the UAE once upon a time. No, they will take opportunities as their numbers and resources permit - wherever they are or find targets. If no recources, then the numbers won't mean nearly as much - if you get my meaning. Wink, wink, nudge, nudge, know what I mean? Heh. Payback's coming. For the jihadis, the enablers, and the states - including the US. Big changes will have to come, and as the victims mount, the will to change will come along behind. |
| Posted by: .com 2004-06-09 9:52:47 PM |
| #10 There's another big question that occurs to me: how safe are western expats in places like Bahrain, Agu Dhabi, or Dubai? Or, while we're at it, Egypt? |
| Posted by: Phil Fraering 2004-06-09 7:21:22 PM |
| #9 Doctor - No, I don't think that's how I'd put it... There may be some aspect of jealousy, but it's not a driving factor. Their behavior fits this Dylan verse almost perfectly: While one who sings with his tongue on fire Gargles in the Rat Race choir Bent out of shape by Society's pliers Cares not to come up any higher But rather get you down in the Hole that he's in I believe this sums them up pretty well, IMHO. |
| Posted by: .com 2004-06-09 5:42:34 PM |
| #8 .com, is there any chance that these jihadis are somewhat envious of the stuff the Westerners have in the compounds, since some of it you can't get outside of them? If this was, say, the Soviet Union, I might not hesitate to assume that, but when you're dealing with Islam, I've found, there are a lot of strange things; sometimes they seem to go for what they can (Royal Family and other Saudis once they get to the West), and other times they're out to ban it all. |
| Posted by: The Doctor 2004-06-09 5:29:10 PM |
| #7 Very interesting... Thanks, .com! |
| Posted by: Dar 2004-06-09 5:21:53 PM |
| #6 YS - Thx - I responded to you a few days ago that I had already left - I guess you didn't see it. Of course, I have about 20-30 people still there that have me worried all the time, now. All are either in Dhahran Camp or Al Khobar - and I almost dread the headlines when I first get on the 'Net these days expecting to hear the worst. And the damned jihadis are keeping up the pace, too. Shit. Never thought of myself as "mother hen" before! A4617 - It would be interesting for many if you'd tell what it's like for you, as a woman. Life inside the Camp and excursions outside to Khobar. In fact, I would bet that one of the buses that takes women & children out shopping in Khobar, both those originating inside the Camp or from a compound like Oasis, will soon be a target. Imagine the headlines if they kill 20 women and 20 kids on one of them. Your description would enlighten many! And, BTW, stay in the Camp, okay? Plz? |
| Posted by: .com 2004-06-09 5:19:45 PM |
| #5 Cool DotCom - glad you're ok. Best of luck Buddy! |
| Posted by: Yosemite Sam 2004-06-09 4:56:14 PM |
| #4 Well, first off, it's not tax-free for Americans, lol! It is for Canadians, 100%. For Brits I think there are reduced taxes, like for Americans, because you don't get any (and I mean zero) of the bennies of being an American or a Brit at home. The article's conversations sound about right - not stilted or faked. But what they call "luxury" is nothing more than what you'd call normal life. Having "normal" there is very expensive - such as $1200 and up per month for a small apartment. You NYC people are nuts, so don't start yelling that's not expensive! In Dallas, the $1500/month I was paying for a tiny hole in the wall would get me a palacial setup - and a pretty nice setup in Del Mar north of Sammy Dago, er, San Diego. The Oasis apartments ran about $4000+/month and up for a 2 BDRM - and you still had to drink bottled water - tap water in the expensive places was only slightly better than first-pass out of the desalination plant - which will kill your houseplants. What really rings true, and we were just starting to feel the fear that someone is out to get you when I decided to bail a year ago, are those quotes at the end: "I don’t go to downtown shopping or to the souks like before. I don’t go to the supermarket anymore," said Scott, an American contractor. "When I am driving I try not to be in the middle lane, I am conscious of my surroundings and try to ensure I have the room to flee if I am chased," he said. Spot on. It got weird at the end - and I've been gone a year. Going to the Al Tamimi Safeway or the Panda / Al Aziziya at night felt dicey. I, too, consciously kept myself positioned so I was never boxed in when driving. Litter and trash around your car when you came out had to be checked - a milk carton up against your tire which you would have to run over when you left was given a slow thorough look. You checked inside the wheel wells on top of your tires. Looked for hand prints - especially on the hood of the car. With all the dust, they were usually visible. Etc. The last quote, "I don’t feel more at risk of dying here than when I’m home." is the only one I'd say was a stretch. You sure don't have to do the stuff I mentioned above outside of places like SA - unless you're a Mafia Don. It's the old "what you know is right" syndrome. He's become inured to his surroundings. It's a helluvalot more dangerous there just to drive, for example, that it is in the US. But it's "true" to him cuz that's what he thinks is normal. But all that aside, I'd say it's an accurate article - and for Al Jizz to play it straight like this, tells us that they know the truth of the situation is bad enough and didn't need the usual over-the-top embellishing. The Expats with families who can (not exiled by legal hassles or the IRS or whatever), will leave, period. The men may send the families back and soldier on for awhile. The singles are the only ones who might hang around, like the Scott guy they quoted. He's gonna be a statistic because his threat radar is skewed by living there all his life - he thinks it's normal. Those raised in America or the UK or Canada, etc, will get out when it comes close - when someone they know becomes a news story. It's over. Time to move on to a gig in Eastern Europe or other place where your skills can get you a job and your adventure gene can get its fix. |
| Posted by: .com 2004-06-09 4:48:45 PM |
| #3 hey DotCom - what are you doing???? |
| Posted by: Yosemite Sam 2004-06-09 2:35:37 PM |
| #2 This is why expatriates tolerated life here, the compound environment is friendly and free. If this is out of the formula it’s not worth living here," he added Expats? |
| Posted by: Shipman 2004-06-09 2:31:40 PM |
| #1 And your thoughts, .com? |
| Posted by: Dar 2004-06-09 1:55:27 PM |