> When they stop using Indian slave labor

It is less than honest to call people who voluntarily come to work for very high wages "slaves". How many Indian labourers in the UAE have you talked to? I like their food, so have met a bunch.

From a western perspective their stories sound crazy, many haven't seen their families for decades. On the other hand, they all tell me how they now own lots of land back home and can pay for their kids to go to university.

> respect women’s rights

You are correct, UAE is still behind on this. But the rapid liberalisation is undeniable https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_in_the_United_Arab_Emirates#Law

It's also worth noting that non-muslims have completely different rules, https://www.israelhayom.com/2021/11/12/abu-dhabis-new-family-law-hailed-as-step-toward-gender-equality/

>The fact that they’re not as bad as the Saudis or Afghanistan doesn’t mean they’re “liberal.”

Nobody called the country "liberal" or even pleasant. What are you going on about?