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UAE has right to defend itself while seeking peace

With its cosmopolitan society where people of different religions and ethnicities live, the nation is a world within a world.

Since its formation in 1971, the UAE has succeeded in delivering a clear message to the world that it works hard towards establishing the principles of peace and development. With its balanced policies, the Arab Gulf nation has steered itself away from any destructive military conflicts.

The nation does not believe in geographical hegemony, rather it has succeeded in establishing itself as a guiding light for the region by building a state that has witnessed innumerable achievements in just a few years. There is hardly any month passed without its grand accomplishments, whether it is space mission — Hope Probe to Mars — or the generation of clean energy from Barakah Nuclear Power Plant.

With its cosmopolitan society where people of different religions and ethnicities live, the nation is a world within a world. The country has become the biggest destination for investment and a place to stay in, given the well-established security and strong relations with the different countries across the world. It is a fact that every country needs to boost its defence capabilities to prevent any threat to the nation, so the UAE also needed to acquire modern defence systems and aircraft, including F-35, F-35 Lighting II and drones, air-to-air and surface-to-air missiles.

This is in view of its endeavour to maintain its own security and to contribute to maintaining international peace and security. Since its foundation, the UAE has been actively involved in peacekeeping operations. In 1976, the Gulf state became a part of the Arab Deterrent Force in Lebanon to help prevent the civil war and maintain peace in the country. And in 1993 after the liberation of Kuwait, the UAE also sent a battalion to Somalia, and to Bosnia a year later to help maintain peace. It was in 1999 that the UAE set up a camp to accommodate thousands of Kosovo refugees displaced by war in Albania, and also in 2003 in Afghanistan.

As the nation is against terrorism of any form, the UAE in 2014 joined the international coalition against the terrorist organisation Daesh, and actively participated in the operations against its followers.

It must be mentioned that the UAE has never been involved in military operations outside the international purview and international coalition despite its location in a region which has a presence of militias and various terrorist groups, and a few countries with global ambitions.

However, all the propaganda and fake news spreading on the media that could weaken the region and drag it into conflicts need to be shunned. Undoubdtedly, the UAE’s march towards development as a peaceful and vibrant nation is loud and clear.

— malzarooni@khaleejtimes.com