Thank you for the re assurances. I am sure you have wonderful training and ethos at EK, and I believe that the prince has only the best intention for EK and his state, and everyone who lives and travels there.
The fears I were largely referring to arise from little safety valves that are present in almost all Western countries, and which to my shame I must admit I do not even know whether they are present in that part of the world. These safety valves, and the way people live with them are the only thing that make the US different from China and other countries and include: 1. A healthy common law legal system, with judges independent of the state and an independent bar, leading to a fair and balanced system of tort and contract law and redress for the citizen or guest vs company and vs the state 2. 20th Century rights of workers being at least allowed to engage in meetings, collective bargaining, organization free of supervision, striking (with notice, and if talks break down), and other ordinary rights available since the early 20th Century. 3. a society where everyone is valued as an individual and has rights of assembly, free speech, and other ordinarily available rights (see especially 1 and also 2).
If they don't exist in Country X, I won't be flying with my kids (or having surgery done) there. Sorry, that's just how I roll.