United Arab Emirates Economics Minister Sheikha Lubna al-Qasimi speaks with SPIEGEL about the success of her country's economy, her work to tear down stereotypes about Arab countries and how women can gain from the boom in the Gulf. Sheikha Lubna al-Qasimi, United Arab Emirates economics minister. SPIEGEL: Sheikha Lubna, the oil price is over $90, money is overflowing the coffers of the Persian Gulf states, your country recently raised the salaries of civil servants by 70 percent -- have you been able to keep your feet on the ground or have you already lost touch with reality? Lubna: Don't worry, we're on steady ground. As far as the 70-percent salary increase for our civil servants goes, we simply had to keep up with inflation... SPIEGEL: ...which is 9 percent. Lubna: Yes, but the salaries in the private economy have risen so rapidly that we are in danger of losing our best people. SPIEGEL: Other Arab governments would love to have such problems. Lubna: It's true we are doing well at the moment. Our economy grew last year by 9 percent and what's particularly rewarding is that 62.5 percent of our gross national product no longer comes from oil production. We suffered greatly when the oil prices were so low in the 1980s and so we developed our own know-how which we today export: tourism, logistics, aerospace and airport management. All together that in turn brings back foreign investment -- $12.5 billion last year. Believe me, this capital wouldn't have appeared had we not worked in a very disciplined fashion over the last 20 years.
United Arab Emirates Economics Minister Sheikha Lubna al-Qasimi speaks with SPIEGEL about the success of her country's economy, her work to tear down stereotypes about Arab countries and how women can gain from the boom in the Gulf.
Sheikha Lubna al-Qasimi, United Arab Emirates economics minister. SPIEGEL: Sheikha Lubna, the oil price is over $90, money is overflowing the coffers of the Persian Gulf states, your country recently raised the salaries of civil servants by 70 percent -- have you been able to keep your feet on the ground or have you already lost touch with reality?
Lubna: Don't worry, we're on steady ground. As far as the 70-percent salary increase for our civil servants goes, we simply had to keep up with inflation...
SPIEGEL: ...which is 9 percent.
Lubna: Yes, but the salaries in the private economy have risen so rapidly that we are in danger of losing our best people.
SPIEGEL: Other Arab governments would love to have such problems.
Lubna: It's true we are doing well at the moment. Our economy grew last year by 9 percent and what's particularly rewarding is that 62.5 percent of our gross national product no longer comes from oil production. We suffered greatly when the oil prices were so low in the 1980s and so we developed our own know-how which we today export: tourism, logistics, aerospace and airport management. All together that in turn brings back foreign investment -- $12.5 billion last year. Believe me, this capital wouldn't have appeared had we not worked in a very disciplined fashion over the last 20 years.
The US presidential election campaign is becoming more heated, fiercer and grotesque. In the final spurt before Super Tuesday, the candidates are invoking the memories of their parties' legendary figures, Ronald Reagan and John F. Kennedy. Meanwhile, the Clintons are invoking memories of -- the Clintons. Presidential candidate Barack Obama with members of the Kennedy family (Ted, right, Caroline, center, and Patrick): pathos and patriotism to the fullest It was a clear, cold winter morning in Washington when the Kennedys finally reached into the wheels of world politics again. Caroline Kennedy said she had been waiting half of her life for a politician who is like her father, and this man had finally arrived. She stood on a small stage in the auditorium at American University, wearing a grey blazer, smiling shyly and pushing her brown hair behind her ears. "Barack Obama is the president we need," she said to an audience of cheering students, before looking over at her uncle. "He will be a president who refuses to be trapped in the patterns of the past," Senator Edward "Teddy" Kennedy, the younger brother of President John F. Kennedy and Senator Robert F. Kennedy, both of whom were assassinated, told the crowd. "He has the power to inspire and make America good again," Kennedy the elder statesman roared, speaking with a forcefulness that surprised many in the audience
The US presidential election campaign is becoming more heated, fiercer and grotesque. In the final spurt before Super Tuesday, the candidates are invoking the memories of their parties' legendary figures, Ronald Reagan and John F. Kennedy. Meanwhile, the Clintons are invoking memories of -- the Clintons.
Presidential candidate Barack Obama with members of the Kennedy family (Ted, right, Caroline, center, and Patrick): pathos and patriotism to the fullest It was a clear, cold winter morning in Washington when the Kennedys finally reached into the wheels of world politics again. Caroline Kennedy said she had been waiting half of her life for a politician who is like her father, and this man had finally arrived. She stood on a small stage in the auditorium at American University, wearing a grey blazer, smiling shyly and pushing her brown hair behind her ears.
"Barack Obama is the president we need," she said to an audience of cheering students, before looking over at her uncle.
"He will be a president who refuses to be trapped in the patterns of the past," Senator Edward "Teddy" Kennedy, the younger brother of President John F. Kennedy and Senator Robert F. Kennedy, both of whom were assassinated, told the crowd. "He has the power to inspire and make America good again," Kennedy the elder statesman roared, speaking with a forcefulness that surprised many in the audience
The multiple disasters of the Bush administration threaten to peak in a perfect storm in 2008: the U.S. overextended and isolated in the world arena, its hard and soft power both steadily shrinking, failed military occupations in Iraq and Afghanistan, a threatened constitutional crisis between Congress and the executive branch, the possibility of a serious economic meltdown due to growing inequality, a large overhanging debt structure, an out-of-control balance of payments deficit, weak dollar, and the ongoing mortgage and financial debacle. The current political stalemate within the government means that the next president and Congress will have to clean up the mess created by imperial overreach. It is abundantly clear that a new direction must be set for the nation. The 2008 election thus promises to be more volatile and important than most, with the likelihood of multiple foreign and domestic crises maturing while the candidates debate. With no incumbent president or vice president running this year for the first time in over a half a century, this should be the most open race since 1952, but it does not feel that way. Instead, a near invisible selection process has been underway for well over a year. Members of what is often called the "establishment"--in reality a plutocracy, the corporate-based ruling class-- have conducted a "hidden primary." This ruling class operates through such bipartisan, establishment organizations as the Council on Foreign Relations. The hidden primary involves funding, advising, and advertising preferred candidates so that whoever emerges from the process and is elected president next November is more than acceptable to the powers that be, and will rule from the center or center-right.
Is the metaphor puppeteers excessive? Perhaps. They lost out to Bush/Cheney early on; now the "leaders of the free world" are checked at each move. But these officials operate with a secret budget, and as the last few years testify amply, have no oversight.
Differences are easily magnified too much. These groups, the outgoing administration, the remaining candidates from both parties, and the permanent government, all share a vision of pax Americana. /rant
And this hour I get to choose one of the above.
WASHINGTON: President George W. Bush is requesting $719.8 million in fiscal 2009 to begin construction of a missile defense in Europe to intercept long-range Iranian missiles, according to Pentagon budget documents. Funding for the system would total $4.5 billion through 2013, according to documents provided to Bloomberg News ahead of their release later Monday. Likely participants in the program are Boeing, Raytheon, Northrop Grumman and Orbital Sciences, the main companies participating in the ground-based system on the West Coast and Alaska. In fiscal 2009, Bush is requesting a total of $10.5 billion for missile defense, about $600 million more than Congress approved for this year. The rest of the funding would continue development, purchase and testing of the U.S.-based system, new weapons to shoot down missiles before launch and outfitting U.S. Navy vessels for missile defense. Congress last year allowed spending to develop a new interceptor and a construction plan but prohibited spending money to start construction of sites in Poland and the Czech Republic until the United States signs formal agreements.
WASHINGTON: President George W. Bush is requesting $719.8 million in fiscal 2009 to begin construction of a missile defense in Europe to intercept long-range Iranian missiles, according to Pentagon budget documents.
Funding for the system would total $4.5 billion through 2013, according to documents provided to Bloomberg News ahead of their release later Monday. Likely participants in the program are Boeing, Raytheon, Northrop Grumman and Orbital Sciences, the main companies participating in the ground-based system on the West Coast and Alaska.
In fiscal 2009, Bush is requesting a total of $10.5 billion for missile defense, about $600 million more than Congress approved for this year. The rest of the funding would continue development, purchase and testing of the U.S.-based system, new weapons to shoot down missiles before launch and outfitting U.S. Navy vessels for missile defense.
Congress last year allowed spending to develop a new interceptor and a construction plan but prohibited spending money to start construction of sites in Poland and the Czech Republic until the United States signs formal agreements.
