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anaxiforminges · Joined: 15 Apr 2009 Posts: 136 Location: UAE

Zing!!

"Compound" always makes me think of apocalyptic fire, as in Waco, Texas and the Branch Davidians...

helenl · Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Posts: 1202

Are there compounds in UAE, Qatar and Oman? Yes. Do some have a security guard out front? Yes. However, most of these security guards wouldn't be much protection. The only "real" security guards on compounds I've seen in these countries are those that mainly house American families and either their employer or their government (which are sometimes the same thing) require "real" security.

As many on this board have also experienced, I was here through 9/11, the attacks on the Saudi "secure" compounds etc. AT NO TIME did I feel insecure or threatened in any of the the 3 countries named above. I have lived alone in a flat with a mixture of Gulf Arabs and Indians (mostly) compounds with a mixture of various Westerners and Asian expats, and stand alone villas in a regular neighbourhood as a single person.

No problemo

Never Ceased To Be Amazed · Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2009 6:45 pm Post subject:

I was just about say to anaxiforminges, the word "compound" makes me think about the compound bombings of 19 May 2003. Two of the four that were bombed were my former compounds. That's the double edged sword of being a subcontractor to major defense corporations...you've got "fantastic" and overwhelming security...because you are the major target. And we thought that centralizing most of us on the Jadawel Compound was a good idea a the time...

And, ya, Abu Dhabi compounds are completely safe. You do, however, have to be making considerable scratch to get the accommodation allowance to be placed in such a utopia.

NCTBA