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Interviews with His Highness - 04 May, 2005

Gulf Defence interviews Sheikh Mohammed

Q: The day that the UAE Armed Forces were unified was a glorious day in the UAE's history. The objective has always been to have a single army under one flag and one wise leadership in order to protect our land and possessions. Do our Armed Forces have any other objectives?

A: First, I congratulate our leaders and our people on the anniversary of the unification of our Armed Forces. This unification was a historic step that put the finishing touch to the structure of our federation and confirmed that the nation's founders had made the right choice because the armed forces in any country are like the body's backbone; their strength makes the body strong. The armed forces are also like the immune system, always ready to fight and destroy viruses and diseases.

Thanks to Allah, our Armed Forces are able to fulfil all necessary roles. They are capable of carrying out any order issued by their Supreme Commander, the UAE President. After years of development, training and using the right weapons, the UAE's Forces are the country's shield, able to defend and safeguard their nation's land, water and airspace, setting an example with their competence and strength and proving that nationals can keep up with military science and with the latest, most sophisticated technology.

Our Armed Forces have played various military and humanitarian roles, participating in the liberation of Kuwait, keeping the peace in Lebanon, Somalia and Kosovo and providing medical services in Iraq. However, its main role is to preserve the sovereignty and independence of the country, to protect the country's possessions and to defend it against anyone with aggressive intentions. These are some of the main factors in enhancing security and stability, ensuring the present and future confidence of citizens and country and improving confidence in the country's policies and positions both regionally and internationally.

Q: The events taking place in the Middle East are affecting the Gulf region and the call for a just peace. Many in the region have been calling for this, but nothing has been achieved to this end. Why is this, in your Highness' opinion?

A: The reason is obvious: There is not enough determination to establish peace and stability. I hold the superpowers directly responsible for the regrettable situation in the Middle East, as these powers alone are capable of implementing the resolutions of international legitimacy and of finding just solutions to the problems. Over the past 100 years, the Middle East has been the stage for the superpowers' races, struggles and interests. In fact, the Middle East has been an international issue since the end of World War I. I do not think that any region has been more deeply affected by international struggles and imbalances than the Middle East.

Regrettably, the influential international powers have dealt with the Middle East as brokers, not as mediators or arbitrators. Brokers work to get the deal signed by any means because the goal is to earn a commission and move on to another deal without worrying about whether the price is right for both the buyer and the seller or about whether the deal is flawed or incomplete. This is true of the influential international powers - they are only looking out for themselves, so they handle issues according to their interests at the time instead of trying to reach just solutions that are consistent with international laws and the United Nations' resolutions.

We have seen the implementation of resolutions that serve their interests and we have seen how they create the means for that implementation, starting with the enforcement of sanctions and ending with direct military intervention. Of course this is the direct responsibility of the superpowers, but it still does not relieve the other parties of responsibility because their policies provided the superpowers with the justification for their actions and because they did not interpret the world situation and the state of international relations accurately. Others interpreted the situation accurately, but were satisfied to issue warnings and to criticise rather than strengthen their positions.

Q: Terrorism exists everywhere because it knows no country, religion or identity. Its only identity is the violence that causes the loss of innocent people. How can terrorism be dealt with in the Gulf, and in the Middle East in general? Should we fight terrorism as individuals or as a group?

A: In order to fight terrorism, group coordination and individual effort are needed; every country and society must fight terrorism at the national level and cooperate at regional and international levels. It is not an easy task to fight terrorism - it requires more than just direct security. If we view terrorism as one of the phenomena that societies and countries experience, every phenomenon has its roots, so we must tackle the roots in order to eradicate the problem. Without any doubt, terrorism is rejected at the individual and collective levels. There are no circumstances in which it is justified, but that does not mean that we do not need to understand the reasons and motives behind acts of terrorism. The first step in curing the disease is diagnosing the problem; the doctor cannot prescribe the right medicine unless he has diagnosed the disease correctly. Therefore, to fight the phenomenon of terrorism successfully, we must attack its roots.

Today, we see serious attempts at the international level - especially in Europe - to attack the roots of terrorism and to understand the grounds for these roots, as well as what nourishes them. The just resolution of the Arab-Israeli struggle will remove some of these roots and getting Iraq out of its current situation will remove others. National efforts to promote development and political and social reforms and to establish social justice and transparency will get rid of yet more roots. I think that international anti-terrorism efforts should be two-pronged - both at the level of direct security and at the level of dealing positively and efficiently with the issues I mentioned.

Q: The seventh International Defence Exhibition and Conference (IDEX) resulted in deals worth Dh7 billion in addition to the deals made on IDEX's sidelines. What do these deals mean to companies and armed forces?

A: They mean that the exhibition was a success. They also mean that the UAE has become the place for exhibitors and buyers to meet. The exhibitors show their latest products and the buyers are able to find what they're looking for under one roof. This gives them the chance to familiarise themselves with the world's military products and to select the arms that meet their needs.

Q: What preparations has Dubai made for this year's air show, and what will be new at the upcoming show? How many participants will there be, of what quality will they be and what are the main events?

A: I can tell you that all preparations were completed some time ago, because any event is born from the event that preceded it. Exhibitors have competed to book space. New exhibitors have asked for separate areas, so we have built a third 10,000 square metre hall at the Airport Expo and enlarged the two existing halls.

Today, Dubai Airshow is one of the three most important international exhibitions, if not the most important. The number of participants increases by 12-20% with each show. The number of participating countries and companies also increases. At this year's show, which will be held November 20th to 24th, there are several new, important events, the most important of which is the conference and exhibition of unmanned systems organised by the Association for Unmanned Vehicles Systems International and Civil Aviation.

Q: What do you think of the Armed Forces' training policies for individuals and officers? Are you satisfied with these policies? And have these policies lead to greater coordination among leaders, officers and commissioned officers in terms of finding positions for qualified members of the Armed Forces?

A: The training that our Armed Forces receive is an ongoing, well-planned process that is given all necessary attention and that provides all that they need. As a result, the members of the Forces deal with techniques, plans and weapons with great coordination among the different branches and ranks of the Armed Forces and interact with qualified personnel at all levels.

… The most important aspect of life in the military is ongoing training - there are always changes and new things. There is no alternative but to respond to these changes with competence and speed. The policies for preparation and training take change into consideration. Our forces are of a high standard, as acknowledged by experts and brothers, thanks to the attention and interest of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and his brother the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who have watched the Armed Forces grow.

Q: The joint work of our Armed Forces and those of the GCC countries is ongoing, but what steps do we need to take to establish effective cooperation in order to create a common leadership and a single frontier?

A: The unification of the GCC countries' armed forces will always be one of our goals. We hope to see a common leadership, but I can't tell you when this will happen. To tell you the truth, it will not happen in the near future for a number of reasons. However, this doesn't mean that there is no cooperation or coordination. On the contrary - cooperation or coordination exist and are efficient as evidenced during the liberation of Kuwait.

As for the threat of aggression against Kuwait in 2003, in addition to sharing information and unifying strategies, what is important is that the GCC countries cooperated to defend a GCC country against outside aggression.

Q: To what extent do the Armed Forces understand modern weapons, which have become increasingly sophisticated?

A: The technological revolution has resulted in increasingly sophisticated weapons, which makes it necessary for the Armed Forces to undergo additional training and to keep up-to-date with new weapons, especially as the process of developing and updating weapons is endless. What's considered the newest and fastest today can quickly become outdated. This brings me back to your question about military exhibitions in the UAE. These exhibitions give our Armed Forces the opportunity to keep up with the latest military inventions. This makes them more competent in terms of planning and making decisions related to armament. I am pleased that our Armed Forces have proved highly capable when it comes to modern, highly sophisticated weapons. We are proud of what our officers and members have achieved in all branches of the Armed Forces.

Q: To what extent have plans to emiratise units and branches of the Armed Forces been successful and are we still dependent on foreign expertise in some sectors of the military?

A: The plans for emiratisation have been successful at all levels. I must comment on the late Sheikh Zayed's role in this. Thanks to his attention and care our Armed Forces saved distance and time and were able, in record time, to develop qualified, competent nationals, both at the level of leaders and individuals. The late Sheikh Zayed made the emiratisation of the Armed Forces a priority and he departed for the afterlife satisfied with what had been achieved, with the level of armament and with the competence of the Forces' officers and soldiers. As for the question about whether we're still dependent on foreign expertise in some sectors, the answer is that we cannot ignore the technical expertise of foreigners because when you sign an arms deal, the contract usually includes a clause requiring the manufacturer to train the members of the Armed Forces to use the new weapon. This happens in the UAE and in all other countries of the world, including the industrialised and technologically advanced countries. When you set up a factory, the manufacturer sends experts to train your engineers and workers.

Q: Can the UAE's army benefit society by building homes or implementing engineering or industrial projects such as those implemented by armies in other countries?

A: The Armed Forces have clearly delineated tasks - to defend and safeguard the sovereignty, independence and security of the country. These tasks are obvious and in order for them to be carried out, several issues must be revisited continually. Our Armed Forces have daily tasks that require effort and awareness. In addition, they also have ongoing training to ensure their competence and the readiness of their weapons. Yes, some countries use their armies for engineering and industrial projects, but these countries have their own circumstances and needs. As for us in the UAE, thanks to Allah, we have organisations and companies that specialise in such projects, and they do their work very well. We also have other parties that play influential roles in the economy. The public sector has its role, as does the private sector. The army serves society with a very important role - defending the country's security and stability.

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