Sacrifice bolsters determination

The missile attack that claimed 45 of the country’s courageous fighters will further strengthen the nation’s identity and values as a protector of the vulnerable.

The giant flag near Abu Dhabi’s Marina Mall flies at half-mast, as it will for the three-day mourning period. Ravindranath K / The National

The missile attack that killed 45 Emirati soldiers in Marib province will further strengthen the UAE's national resolve, securing the safety of Yemenis against extremists and assuring stability at all costs.

Military action will protect the Emirates from future destabilisation on the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Commander of the Armed Forces, said defeating the militias who caused the destruction and corruption in Yemen “is a goal we shall continue to uphold”.

The three days of mourning will remind us what is at stake and the 45 young lives extinguished by the extremists’ missile will revitalise the Emirates.

The sacrifice of these servicemen goes to the heart of the Emirati consciousness based on the Islamic and Arabic virtues of welcome, warmth, humanitarianism and support.

These have transcended the ages into the modern day and made the UAE a beacon in the promotion of good will. The deaths of Emiratis will not go unheeded.

National resolve is a guiding light driving the UAE’s foreign policies. It comes from the identity as a critical column of strength that helps to maintain national feeling and solidarity to the uniquely Emirati way of life, customs and virtues.

The UAE uses its moral and virtuous ideology to combat this through an array of hard and soft power.

It continues to push hard for what is right in Yemen through the mobilisation of country’s military capabilities and humanitarian aid.

This campaign comes from the very essence of Emirati society. It is the glue that binds society and can be represented as an extended family.

Quite appropriately, this thinking originated from the founding President of the UAE, Sheikh Zayed, and it is still strong and robust today.

The deaths of the Emirati soldiers only embolden the UAE and its mission in Yemen.

Pride in the nation and national identity will continue in the ensuing days and months.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, said that the sacrifices of the nation’s children were a source of pride, and that “the days will only give us more determination and power on triumphing”.

The first Martyrs’ Day holiday, on November 30, will take on extra significance with the attack on the country’s serviceman.

The UAE’s national resolve, which is on the right side of history, will only grow stronger against the extremist forces found in northern Yemen.

Dr Theodore Karasik is a Dubai-based analyst on the Gulf with a specific focus on Saudi Arabia.