http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/picturegalleries/9945516/The-worlds-tallest-hotels.html A new world's tallest hotel, the JW Marriott Marquis in Dubai, has just opened. Oh dear. Dubai + World's tallest = ??
I look at it this way. Everything in Dubai could have been built here if we had any vision. Who cares how much we spent on energy if every dollar was re-invested in the US. Dubai is one giant ego trip for the worlds billionaires and we ain't getting a dime of it. I've been watching Natonnal Geographic "mega structures" series. You know what we got going for us in the US? The worlds largest landfill and the demolition of the Orange bowl and not included in the series but we are known around the world for the big "D" Detroit.
Perhaps indirectly. Dubai itself is not that big of an oil exporter. That is why they embarked on all this non-oil stuff decades ago.
Dubai also can make it happen because of cheap labor, almost slavery (passports taken away etc.). If you're a foreigner who has any trouble with the emiratis, good luck...you'll need it.