Dr Athol Yates works at the Institute for International and Civil Security, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, teaching Emirati security professionals undertaking a Masters Degree in regional and internal security. His research areas include UAE security structures and organisations, notably the UAE Armed Forces, UAE police services, and civil defence agencies.

Cliff Lord served in Britain’s Royal Signals during the 1960s as a cipher operator in England, Germany and on active service in Aden and the East Aden Protectorate. After the Army, Cliff worked in Paris for the Washington Post and later moved to New Zealand working as a computer operator, a communications network controller for Air New Zealand, and Team Leader International Operations for the Southern Cross fibre optics trans pacific cable before retiring. He is Honorary Historian for Royal New Zealand Corps of Signals. Cliff has written nine books on military history and insignia.