Housing market in Abu Dhabi jumps 53%...Middle East 2 US -1

So that's the score the way I see it. An article posted on ArabianBusiness.com today that the demand for homes in Dubai in 2007 went up 18% respectively, and this year alone prices have sky rocketed 53%! From an investment standpoint that's a total 71%, respectively, return on your money in less then 18 months. And thats a very reasonable number in this market. The game is simple, we all know it, no matter what your hustle is.
Prices are driven by demand and supply. The demand for housing in Abu Dhabi is in the excess 140,000 homes and they are barely reaching the 100,000 mark. What it mean when the supply is decreasing as demand increases by the day? Reference picture above.
We know how bad the market is in the US. Besides New York and Hawaii, where is a secure real estate investment in the US? It's a great time to buy, but how long are you willing to wait for your investment to turn profitable, 3 years, 5, 10?