I lived in Dubai, and Riyadh, only a year after I left the military in 04. Honestly, welcoming, generous, pious in some degree and also xenophobic, but no more or less than where I am from (UK). I had he best four years of my life, was invited to the Grand Mosque during Ramadan and smoked hash with a local a few times (highly dodgy).

I think saying 'Muslim' is far too general. An Iranian for instance is totally different to a Lebanese Muslim, as is a Jordanian to an Arab in the UAE.

That being said my open and often challenged criticism was the lack of action from GCC states when it came to Palestine, and as I worked in the defence industry there it didn't take long to work out how closely aligned the GCC was with the US, and hence Israel too in terms of that particular issue.

The Arabs are smart with their money, and whilst the treatment of women can be questionable, I knew atleast 5 European woman who openly converted because in the UAE at least, it was an easy life to be married to a local. People misunderstand the heritage of the 'multiple wives' and assume a guy can just go out and pick any woman, any time he feels like it.

Social systems are good, wealth is distributed and the government puts locals first (as you should). Utilities were free, have a child, get money. Get married? Get money. And we aren't talking small money, by large lump sums.

Saudi was different, you could feel a more archaic form of Islam, or perhaps conservative would be the word to use, but let's be frank, when you are super wealthy, you party, and man did they party. Anything and everything was available, just like fight club, it's never discussed.

Id go back in a heart beat.