Persian Gulf

The American withdrawal from Iraq marks the beginning of one of the largest relocations of military hardware and manpower in recent years. But much of the equipment will not be returning to the United States. Instead, some will remain with the Iraqi security forces and some will be shipped to Afghanistan. But as important, millions of tons of armor and weaponry will be used to restock huge U.S.-run warehouses across the Middle East -- in case it is needed in the future.

The job that Ahmed Amin thought came with a lifetime warranty is gone. Like millions of Egyptians over the decades, Amin left his native land to work in the Persian Gulf. In 2005, he was hired as a construction engineer in Dubai, the boisterous and glittering financial hub of the United Arab Emirates. But when the global financial crisis hit hard this year, skyscrapers stood unfinished and Amin was fired. "The last four months have changed the face of my whole life. I had a job that I was more than content with.