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was this morning in ibn battuta mall...nd noticed lots of guys walking in groups....so was wondering what was going on...one of my friends told me that those were american soldiers who were having a break..nd come to dubai to relax...''yeah sure'' i told him..then he started to explain to me..that they got couple of ships in jebel ali...nd once every couple of months they come to dubai..for time off....i noticed that some of them got same tattoos..nd most of them were well build..they were all carrying the same bags..nd funny enough stick all close to each other all the time..

i was still not believing that american soldiers r walking around in dubai having their break...till i entered the cinema...and BOOM!
saw all the little groups that were walking around whole the time.. sitting in the back...waiting for the same movie as me..300

we came 10 mins before the movie started...nd each couple of mins couple of other guys were entering the cinema..all sitting in the back..
after the movie..my friend told me that they alway's go out in the mornings..and u can find them in the malls mostly..that they stay around a week in dubai...even though my friend (who works in jebel ali) tells me all this..plus what i have seen 2day..i'm still wondering
could it be...american soldiers walking around in dubai?!

anyone here who knows more abt this?

And you find this strange because?.....

There are lots of American and British ships patrolling the Gulf, so they just come in for shore leave - and your problem is?

Chocoholic wrote:And you find this strange because?.....

There are lots of American and British ships patrolling the Gulf, so they just come in for shore leave - and your problem is?

Thats what I was thinking...

They were a common sight during 1990.

Did you know that US trains the UAE military? They also have a base in AlAin.

I have a good friend that works at Jebel Ali (or I should say volunteers her time) on a weekly basis sometimes 2 or 3 times per week to help the soldiers when they come into port. She loves doing it and it is a good cause. They have all been away from their families for month's and love to see the "motherly" like person greeting them and helping them with questions, etc.

They are probable doing a bit of R+R before they invade IRaN

i played some paintball with these guys once, they are pretty good at it

Bleakus wrote:i played some paintball with these guys once, they are pretty good at it

I would think they are not too bad at the "real' thing

Poor LK. It must your first time to see real soldiers. eh? They're all over dubai for vacation & they walk in groups wearing walking/city shorts.

Couldn't forget my first chinook ride with them not in Iraq though.

dubai girl wrote:Did you know that US trains the UAE military? They also have a base in AlAin.

They're training not only UAE military but some other GCC countries that has american ties against terrorism etc. It's part of the treaty with the US.

I wonder when they're going to get smoked out by Al Qaida...hhhmm...

Man this place is seriously starting to suck balls.

dunno who is sucking whos though

forget it mate, if this continues no ones gonna be on here but trolls

And big wrinkly hairy ones at that.

Whats everyones problem with the US military? I can understand if your against Iraq. ( I am VERY firmly AGAINST the invasion of Iraq) But why would you not want US military personal visiting Dubai? They put money into the economy of Dubai if they are there on leave. BTW isnt Dubai trying to establish itself as a tourist destination?

tomtom69l7 wrote:Whats everyones problem with the US military? I can understand if your against Iraq. ( I am VERY firmly AGAINST the invasion of Iraq) But why would you not want US military personal visiting Dubai? They put money into the economy of Dubai if they are there on leave. BTW isnt Dubai trying to establish itself as a tourist destination?

It's just one idiot, not 'everyone'.

Personally, I've met a lot of US military since I've been in Dubai and they're good lads.

Don't listen to the knob-jobbing wankers on the forum.

I bump into them a lot at Kuwait airport - at first I gave a wide birth but got talking to one guy from new jersey.

He enlisted when he was 17 (before the war) as there was no other work around and quite a bad drug problem in his town. His family had a long military background as well.

He could not stand being out in Iraq and did not agree being there and most of his buddies felt the same - but he had to complete his time or do time for deserting and wait even longer to get back with his family.

freza wrote:I wonder when they're going to get smoked out by Al Qaida...hhhmm...

The bin laden family have to much interest in Dubai for that to happen

hey i was in the u.s. military at one point and i can guarrenty one thing they all get a long and detailed lecture about how to not piss off the locals. i'm sure they are a welcome sight for all of the business girls here too.

there is also about 110+ ex royal marines in the uae training the uae army.

As above, there is a US base here so no surprise, that and it's a very Westernised and safe place to get some down time in this part of the region.

American military are always easy to spot, groups of burly men with cropped haircuts, you'd think they'd maybe get some training how to blend in a bit.

scot1870 wrote:American military are always easy to spot, groups of burly men with cropped haircuts, you'd think they'd maybe get some training how to blend in a bit.

But mabybe they have been trained really well and are truly blending. I often see burly men with crapped haircuts wearing dish dash

Yeah it's only the fake beard that gives them away

scot1870 wrote:Yeah it's only the fake beard that gives them away

And I also thought dish disha and trainers or "sneakers" might give a hint

never mind - double post

Also most of the soldiers in Iraq travel to and from the Middle East via Dubai on Emirates airlines. I know this because once in the matter of days like 20 flights got fully booked from DXB to New York and when i asked why this happened in a non-peak season i was told its army personnel traveling back home.

Anyway the UAE has very few US marines compared to Bahrain or Qatar.

lol wots so big about some yankees coming to dubai.