The Associated Press, via Fox News, reports today on the visit of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to Syria:

Shortly before he left Syria at the end of a two-day visit, President Ahmadinejad reiterated that Syria and Iran had formed a "front" to oppose what he called world "arrogance and domination," a reference to the United States and its Western allies.

When I read this kind of this thing I begin to realize just how little I actually understand about geopolitics and its relation to business and economic development. Here's why I say that.

One of the nice things about living, as I do now, just outside of Dubai is that I get to meet people and hear about economic and political developments in the region. While none of the things hear about are secret, they are not always the things of which people in the US or Europe might ordinarily be aware. Case in point: the mega tourism project known as "The Flower of the East" currently underway on the Iranian island of Kish. "The Flower" is part of a larger and very ambitious effort to promote the Iran as a tourist destination. Here's how the Tehran Times recently described it:

Flower of the East, the EUR1.7b project, is a real turnaround in Iran's tourism industry and one of the most gigantic projects in the world will be implemented on the area of 2.2 km² of the north-east side of Kish Island. In fact, putting up the world-class high-rise hotels along with a vast number of resorts and amenities will shape a modern tourism town in Kish and a real paradise in the middle of the Persian Gulf.

The project, which includes a 7-star and two 5-star hotels with over 1,000 rooms and suites, three residential areas, 4700 luxury villas and apartment complexes, coffee shops, luxury showrooms and stores, sports facilities with a 27-hole golf course, marina and a lot more, is scheduled for completion in 2010.

This tourist hub, to be equipped with all the utilities, will be able to function independently energy-wise and the island’s international airport is going to be a plus for direct flights from all over the world, the director added.

Drees and Sommer is the German firm in charge of whole project management of the mega holiday resort town in Kish Island.

Now I recognize that the Tehran Times is not the press organ of the Iranian government and thus do not expect that all statements coming out of the government and appearing in the press should be completely in sync. Still, it is hard to figure out what Ahmadinejad must be thinking when he says that Iran is opposing global arrogance. Surely he not only knows about The Flower, but how much it relies on arrogant Western expertise and capabilities to bring it to fruition. Surely, he also anticipates that arrogant Westerners, at least those from less arrogant Europe, will want to come and spend time and money at this resort. Where does he suppose that flights at the international airport will be coming from- China, India, and Russia? Won't the shops offer branded products and services produced in and by the arrogant ones? And won't the luxury condos and hotel rooms have cable that broadcasts the arrogant popular culture live and direct from the belly of the Great Satan itself?

Finally, if you work for Drees & Sommer, the German project management firm in charge of the whole project, doesn't it make you just a little bit queasy to work in a country whose leader so adamantly derides as "myth" history you so know to be true?