My Story by Al Maktoum Mohammed bin Rashid

Author:Al Maktoum, Mohammed bin Rashid [Al Maktoum, Mohammed bin Rashid]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Explorer Publishing
Published: 2019-02-11T16:00:00+00:00

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A Single Army for a Unified Nation

One of the most challenging tasks I have undertaken during my career was building a unified defence force for the new state.

The army is the force that deters foreign threats, maintains internal cohesion and protects against chaos in times of crisis. It is the protector of everything we have achieved so far and the assurance of stability, which is so vital to investor confidence. The army is what guarantees we are respected among other nations and are protected.

In the case of the United Arab Emirates, the main challenge was to build a defence force that would discourage foreign enemies, ensure stability within and work towards unifying the forces of all seven emirates under one federal umbrella. This was at the top of the list for the initial five-year term of the federal government in 1971.

My plan, which I first formed in 1968, was driven by the enthusiasm of men, the new spirit that gripped the country and the support of Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid, who approved the strategy after reviewing it with me scores of times.

After the establishment of the Union on December 2nd, 1971, I began to manage the handover of responsibilities by the British forces, hoping to make the transition as smooth as possible. I knew the Royal Air Force Base in Sharjah very well. Both Royal Air Force personnel and an infantry battalion of about 2,500 people were based there. On December 22nd, the Trucial Oman Scouts became the Union Defence Force. The Scouts were originally established by Britain in 1951 to ensure security and stability in the area from Abu Dhabi to Ras Al Khaimah.

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