It is important to understand that a rising tide of economic growth and development does not always lift all boats. True, Dubai is an economic success story that is very impressive by western standards, but in the haze of construction generated dust the cost of rapid growth is seemingly overlooked. This article does a great job of looking at what those costs are. Dubai is a miracle, yes, and the West can only go so far to criticize the city's labor practices without being hypocritical. However, the West’s exploitation of the underprivileged in its quest for economic growth doesn’t justify the continued employment of this model by developing nations. There should be international labor standards that provide, at minimum, some protections, such as ensuring foreign workers the right of return. Dubai, as part of a sovereign state, possesses the right to pursue economic growth in any way that doesn't rob foreign nationals of their free will. Although this discussion naturally leads to a larger discussion of the implications of the exploitive labor practices used by western corporations in developing countries, the point is that at-will employment should be protected, whether it is an Indonesian making shoes for Nike in Jakarta or an Ethiopian nanny in Dubai, higher standards for the treatment of human beings of all creeds, races, and nationalities ought to take precedence in the 21st century. Dubai will always be a beacon of hope for moderatism in the Middle East, but let's not become overly distracted by the beauty of an oasis in the desert when the oasis is maintained and operated by slave labor.