Friday, June 16, 2017

Why Did Trump Green-Light the Siege of Qatar?

Eric Margolis explains:

Veteran Mideast-watchers are used to endless spats between the region’s Arab rulers, but this one was a big deal.  It seems that Trump, who recently visited Saudi Arabia, had orchestrated the boycott and isolation of Qatar to show its upstart rulers who was boss.  Moreover, his pro-Israeli advisors devised the plan and Trump backed it publicly.

Here was another example of a US leader, with only comic book knowledge of the region, mucking things up royally.  The ‘terrorists’ Qatar is accused of supporting were the Muslim Brotherhood, a venerable, moderate movement dedicated to welfare and education.  After the Muslim Brotherhood won a democratic election in Egypt, the Saudis and Israel colluded to overthrow it. The result was the US-backed ruthless military dictatorship of ‘Field Marshall’ al-Sisi, which has killed, jailed, and tortured thousands of opponents.

Trump apparently green-lighted the siege of Qatar because it owns the outspoken al-Jazeera TV network, the only really outspoken media group outside of Israel, which the prickly Egyptians and Saudis hate with a burning passion.  Qatar’s ruler, Sheik Hamid al-Thani, has been the principal supporter of the besieged Palestinians in Gaza and their political arm, Hamas, which is branded “terrorists’ by the US and Israel...

Still, Qatar enjoys the world’s highest per capita income.  It’s a worthy example of how to put oil money to work properly.  When I was a columnist for its leading newspaper, I always marveled at the order and discipline of the kingdom as compared to its neighbors.

Here in a nutshell is what’s happening.  Qatar has been the most progressive, modern-thinking Gulf state.  Its rulers, the al-Thani family, have tried to support moderate, progressive movements in the Arab world and Afghanistan with money and media support.

Qatar’s efforts at modernizing are being met with furious opposition by the leaders of Mideast reaction – feudal kingdom Saudi Arabia, military dictatorship Egypt and their feudal satraps in the UAE and Bahrain.  Trump’s green-lighting this foolish venture shows how poorly informed and dunderheaded he is.  The other Gulf States should grow up and stop acting like feuding Bedouins.

Interestingly, Turkey, an old friend of Qatar, just announced more of its troops will go to the sheikdom, where Ankara has a small base.  The other war-like actors in this tempest in a teapot will think twice before defying the Turks who have NATO’s second biggest army.

1 comment:

  1. Moderate and venerable Muslim Brotherhood? Global Islamic caliphate and Sharia governance? Fuck offffff.

    ReplyDelete