An amir is a prince. An emir is a ruler, chief, or commander in Islamic countries.
The United Arab Emirates is a federation of the constitutional monarchies of Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras Al Khajmah, Sharjah and Umm al Quwain. Each emirate is governed by a ruler; together, they jointly form the Federal Supreme Council.
The idea of an emirate carries romance. They own racehorse studs and racecourses in all western countries. They own breeding studs of Arabian horses and ride Arabians in competitive endurance rides in the Middle East, Europe, U.S. and South America. Most of us have seen fictional amirs and emirs in Hollywood movies like Lawrence of Arabia - always presented in romanticised ways.
The reality is not very romantic. The regimes are not democratic. Cruelty to animals is rife. Foreign workers are badly exploited. Women are abused within their homes, especially the ones who are not rich. Despotism, cronyism, hypocrisy and corruption is the dominant way of life.
This post was edited by inky at July 8, 2019 7:32 AM MDT
