Normally, whenever i am starting a heading for my blog, i generally tend to ask my reader's if there are any, who bother to read, is what their opinion is regarding the subject. 

Here i chose the topic of the GCC or the Arab countries like Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain and the UAE.  I have lived here for twenty five plus years and know their behaviors and how they do their business.  What i have seen, that these countries are very well funded because of their oil reserves and generally keep their citizens happy by providing them with almost free housing, and excellent pay packages.  They pay for their education, whether local or abroad.  They pay them a good social security package and lots of extra's.

But the point i am trying to make is whether they are very good businessmen and how they have succeeded in their investments whether local or abroad.  There are individuals and there are institutions, who generally invest on behalf of the sovereign fund of the country.  Normally, what i have seen is that they do their investments more on their instincts, then studying the company they want to invest in.  This doesn't mean that they don't do their due diligence, they do, and their management is extraordinarily talented, but end of the day, even when the management says "NO", they still go ahead and do it, and they succeed.

This is my personal opinion and this is what i have seen when i used to work with them.  This i say from personal experience, and i have also seen them given good offers and they refusing them.  Which went on to be successful investments for others.  But they do not give it a second thought.  The Islamic banks which currently are in the picture have the last i heard, if my sources are correct, that they have excessive funds, but nowhere to invest it.  I know what you are thinking, whether you can pitch your investment idea. No, its too difficult, they have a strict policies, and its so hard to get through the door.  These deals are only done at the top.  So, if you are there in the bottom, don't even bother to send in your business plan.

But they do have a very good business acumen and they do tend to succeed more than they tend to loose.  

These countries are also presented in a bad light, that they support terrorists by funding them.  Since, i have lived in a GCC country, i have experienced a little bit of bias, but have always been amazed by their generousness, i point this towards their free medical system, which is not possible anywhere else in the world.  I thank them for that.

And yes, they do like the westerners more than the Asians, but then we cannot get everything in life as we desire right?  I sincerely, from the bottom of my heart wish them the best, and i know that many people will agree with me on this point, since they also have spend their entire life in these countries, and they are from all religions and nationalities....