Potato from the ashes

" Arabs with dreams of full-scale development mustn't ridicule Dubai. To mock Dubai is to approve of the restrictions placed upon us. Dubai belongs to all the Arabs. It is a model that deserves support, not indifference. Dubai should once again rise, like a phoenix from the ashes, helped by its Arab brethren. The risk was worth it, although the ideologues may disagree and the police mentality may be offended." Could you not have found another cliche other than the dreaded "phoenix from the ashes"? I mean, really. I knew the writer as an advocate for the Syrian Ba`th (and he wrote a whole article attacking me for criticizing the Syrian government) but not as an advocate for Dubai "ba'th".