Burke Allen's Big Time Talker Podcast — by SpeakerMatch

Inside Policing & Accountability with Marlon Marrache

·46 min·4 clips

John Dragonetti's book reveals how Dubai's oil boom was secretly funded by New Orleans mob money.

The episode begins with host Burke Allen introducing John Dragonetti, an award-winning author based in Las Vegas, whose book 'The Falcon and the Shakes' explores Middle East politics and Dubai's history. Dragonetti recounts moving to Cairo in 1972 to run the American school, then relocating to Dubai in 1974, where he found a barren landscape with minimal infrastructure. He describes Dubai's early days, including the Filbis Building as the only tall structure and a clock tower in town. Dragonetti explains how Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum envisioned Dubai's development without significant oil wealth, attracting investment from neighboring emirates. The conversation delves into the book's narrative, which involves Luigi Falcone, a Harvard MBA with mob connections from New Orleans, who helped secure a $500 million loan for Dubai's oil concessions. Dragonetti contrasts the Sunni and Shiite Muslim factions, linking historical tensions to current conflicts in the Gulf. He shares personal anecdotes, such as teaching his son to keep emergency cash for crises and experiences during wars like the 1973 Arab-Israeli conflict. The host and guest discuss Dubai's growth, from a trading post to a financial center, and touch on regional issues like Iran's actions and the role of the U.S. Dragonetti emphasizes the warmth and trust of Middle Eastern people, countering common Western misconceptions. The episode concludes with Dragonetti encouraging travel to Dubai and highlighting the resilience of its leaders.

As heard by us

Iran, Dubai, and Gulf politics told with a lived-in sense of place.

Burke Allen keeps the discussion broad enough to move from world politics to the Dubai material without losing focus. John Dragonetti brings the authority of someone who spent many years in the Middle East, and the exchange keeps returning to Iran, Persia, the war with Iraq, and…

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Why you'd press play

You get Iran, Dubai, and a guest who has lived the terrain.

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