While courageous locals in the Middle East try to get rid of their Muslim overlords, the West is asking to become subservient to the same.

We see in three countries right now efforts by the locals to reduce the strength and control of Islamic elements: Iran, Lebanon, and Syria. In all three, changes occurring since October 7, 2023, have allowed the people to look for a return to their own cultures and ways of life. In Lebanon, Israel decimated Hezbollah and initiated a program that is supposed to see its partial disarmament. Syria later sent Assad Junior packing, and though ruled by ISIS veterans, Druze, Kurds, and others want to carve out their own autonomous regions, some with direct association with Israel. And, of course, Iran. For two weeks, we have seen brave, mostly unarmed Iranian citizens face ruthless government forces and not flinch. They call for the return of the Crown Prince and want nothing more to do with a Shia theocracy. No country in the region seems to be begging for more Islam, and the more “moderate” countries like the UAE have banned the Muslim Brotherhood for decades because they don’t want to become another Iran or Qatar.

When one goes around Dubai, he sees a lot of female tourists whose heads are not covered and whose clothing would not be described as the height of modesty. I doubt that they would be allowed to go around Tehran. Even if the modesty police asked nicely and gave them a scarf to wear, the implication is clear: you play by our rules in our country. So why is it not the same in the UAE? I don’t pretend to know the different expressions of Islamic behavior, but one can conclude that the UAE leadership made a decision that being part of the world would mean that telling non-Muslims to act like the locals would be a nonstarter. Dubai airport is a massive world hub, and it is no coincidence that Emirates Airlines has 115 of the monstrous........

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