Comparable Government Report

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is known for its lucrative oil exports and came into existence in 197I after being formed as a constitutional federation. The country has a presidential, despotic and federal monarchy. UAE is a federal state and a union as enshrined in Article 1 of the constitution (Ahmed 371). The country has seven emirates which are led by a leader known as Emir with the power to manage resources independently. The seven Emirs join up to form a Federal Supreme Council (FSC) that has the highest executive and legislative powers. FSC Members have the power to elect the President and the cabinet of the country.  The political system is based on a constitution with 152 articles and officially came into law in 1996. UAE’s constitution highlights federal powers in three government branches namely executive, legislative and judicial branches. The essay will address the issue of gun control in both the USA and the UAE. Gun control consists of policies and laws that govern the purchase, possession, and sale of a firearm to individuals. Some countries such as the UAE have a restrictive firearm policy regulating where and how a firearm is used. Gun control policies have been put in place to address the issue of injury and gun mortality that have been on the rise worldwide.

Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan is the President of the UAE and also acts as Abu Dhabi’s Emir. Second in command is Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum who holds two positions as the Vice President and Prime minister. He is also Dubai’s Emir. The UAE does not have any political parties, the election of the President and the Vice president is usually conducted by the FSC after every five years while the public has no say in it. Political involvement and citizen’s engagement has improved significantly over the years. UAE introduced an electoral college in 2006 as a means to modernize its political system. The public is allowed to vote into office 20 members of the FNC 40 members through a secret ballot.  The difference between the USA and UAE is the style of leadership. The US is a federal government that shares powers with its state governments. Its constitution gives power to the President, Congress, and the court system. The US political party system is dominated by two major parties namely Democratic and Republican party while the UAE has no political party. The president is elected by the Electoral College with federal and state laws regulating elections. In UAE, the Electoral College only elects half of the leaders in FSC.

Gun control is a serious issue in the UAE with stern regulations on who is supposed to possess a firearm. The UAE law prohibits individuals from buying or having firearms without a permit or license. It issues licenses to Emirati nationals and prohibits them from producing firearms in public (Dajani). In the UAE gun licenses need to be renewed every three years and the license holder has to be 25 years old and must be certified by the medical authority as being sane. Any person who has previously been convicted of a crime such as terrorism, drug or state security can be denied a firearm license. The UAE has strict laws and penalties for anyone caught importing or possessing an illegal weapon. The culprit is liable for a six months imprisonment or a maximum of ten years depending on the severity of the offense. Although some countries like the USA consider it a right to own a gun, UAE does not consider private gun ownership a right. Ownership of handguns, rifle and automatic weapons by a civilian is regulated by its laws.

In the United States, gun control is a controversial topic eliciting support for and against it. Individuals who want to purchase ammunition, shotgun or rifles must be at least 18 years as mandated in the gun control act. The act prohibits the sale of handguns to people below 21 years old. The US restricts the sale of ammunition to any individual deemed dangerous such as fugitives and people who have been committed to mental institutions. People who have been convicted in prison for one year for felony or misdemeanors are also restricted from purchasing guns. People who have been found guilty of using controlled substances are also barred from possessing firearms.  The restriction is also placed on illegal immigrants, individuals who have renounced their citizenship and military personnel who have been dishonorably discharged.  Proponents of gun control indicate that the Second Amendment gives a mandate for people to bear arms (Rose, Justice and Moon 1). The federal government dictates who has the right to possess guns, while state and local government controls whether residents should carry guns in public. Residents in America are allowed to possess semi-automatic weapons and it is legalized in most states.  Only three states namely California Hawaii and Connecticut require licensing for rifle and shotgun purchases. For instance, California requires its residents to pass a written test and go to a gun safety class to get a purchase permit. UAE has low gun crime rates compared to the United States. The CDC estimates that in 2015 close to 35,000 people died as a result of gun violence in America (Jaffe 2487).

In conclusion, United Arab Emirates is very strict when it comes to gun control in comparison to the US that is lenient and depends on the States one is living in. Expatriates in the United Arab Emirates are prohibited from buying, possessing and carrying weapons. Although the public in the USA has called for stricter laws gun laws, their efforts have been undermined and no legislative changes have been made. Gun control remains a controversial issue in the country with the weapon industry having its roots in the politics, economy, and entertainment of Americans.

Works Cited

Ahmed, LA Shaho Ghafur. "The Constitutional Structures of the Federalism in the Middle East." Journal of Humanity Sciences 20.3 (2016): 370-394.

Dajani, Haneen. “Abu Dhabi shooting: rare gun incident puts spotlight on strict licensing laws”. The National, 3 Jan 2019, thenational.ae/uae/courts/abu-dhabi-shooting-rare-gun-incident-puts-spotlight-on-strict-licensing-laws-1.809198

Jaffe, Susan. "Gun violence research in the USA: the CDC's impasse." The Lancet 391.10139 (2018): 2487-2488.

Rose, Louis, Social Justice, and Mr C. Moon. "Why Gun Control Will Never Happen In America." Moon (2018).