The United States as closed 19 missions across the Middle East and Africa this week, according to several media reports (including this one), after what House Homeland Security Committee chairman Michael McCaul called “probably one of the most specific and credible” since the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Among the consulates and embassies closed was the one in Dubai, UAE, just ahead of the August 26th beginning of the FINA Junior World Championships that are to be held there.
While the threats are believed to have been made specifically against these U.S. government missions, and not anything surrounding the swim meet, this becomes a scary situation for any Americans in the threatened areas.
USA Swimming is taking a “wait and see” approach for now. A spokesperson told us this week that “we are monitoring the situation with the USOC and will continue to be in touch with the them leading up to the competition.”
While there seems to be little risk (at least made public) of an attack on any American team sent to the UAE for the meet, especially in a fairly cosmopolitan Middle Eastern city like Dubai, it becomes a bit of a dicey political situation to send a team of young American athletes to a country where the diplomats have been pulled out. This is especially true of the Dubai consulate, which has been held closed after others have been reopened (with the latest update from the consulate expecting a Saturday reopening).
For now, though, we, like USA Swimming, will continue to monitor the situation, and share any updates we receive on the subject.
Abu Dhabi are the smart power behind Dubai . They will arrange to bribe AlQuaeda away for the duration.
Maybe they will take them shopping & ice skating in one of their super shopping malls or driving ferraris across the desert.
It has worked before.