International Retired US general stuck in UAE: ‘As Americans we feel abandoned’ by Ashleigh Fields - 03/02/26 6:50 PM ET by Ashleigh Fields - 03/02/26 6:50 PM ET Share ✕ LinkedIn LinkedIn Email Email NOW PLAYING A retired U.S. general stuck in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Monday said Americans in the region feel “abandoned” as access to air space remains limited and airports close following military strikes in the region. “One of the small things that does matter to tens of thousands of people here as well as their families — it’s a little bit disheartening to hear that the UK govt is arranging transport for the British citizens, whereas here as Americans we feel abandoned,” Maj. Gen. Randy Manner (Ret.) said during an appearance on CNN’s “News Central.”  “The State department is in survival mode because as we know the administration reduced their budget by almost half,” he added.  The State department did not immediately respond to The Hill’s request for comment on the matter. Secretary of State Marco Rubio cancelled his scheduled trip to Israel this week amid rising tensions with Tehran. State department officials have encouraged Americans to reconsider travel to a host of Middle Eastern countries including Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar by initiating a level 3 travel advisory , marking the destinations as dangerous due to serious risks to safety and security. Citizens in the UAE have been urged to exercise extreme caution due to the threat of terrorism and missile or drone attacks.  U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran have complicated departure times for tourists and visitors in the region seeking to fly home.  The UAE’s Abu Dhabi and Dubai airports have closed, throwing many passengers’ plans into flux. On Monday, just 16 flights were allowed to depart during a three-hour window, according to FlightRadar24 .  U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the country’s Foreign Office is drafting plans to evacuate 200,000 Brits in the region.  Officials have proposed evacuation by road and have considered transporting citizens to countries where airspace remains open, such as Saudi Arabia, according to The Guardian .  Trump said strikes in the region are expected to continue for the next “four to five weeks.” Add as preferred source on Google Tags Americans stuck abroad Keir Starmer Marco Rubio Trump administration U.S. strikes in Iran UAE travel Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Share ✕ LinkedIn LinkedIn Email Email More International News See All International Iran’s leaders: Who was killed? Who’s in charge now? by Max Rego 37 minutes ago International  /  37 minutes ago