West Asia News and Discussions (YEMEN, gulf)

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 08 Jun 2017 04:50

By Jay Solomon and
Felicia Schwartz
June 7, 2017 6:40 p.m. ET

WASHINGTON—Leading Arab states are drawing up a list of demands that Qatar must meet to return to normal diplomatic and economic relations, including steps to significantly scale back the Al Jazeera media network, said Arab and U.S. officials involved in the discussions

{to stomp on the 1st Amendment and all freedom of expression}

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 08 Jun 2017 04:53

Posting from Al Jazeera (pbuh)

Defiant North Korea launches multiple missiles
South Korea's military says the launch appears to be barrage of land-to-ship missiles fired off North's east coast...Thursday morning from the North Korean coastal city of Wonsan..

Atmavik · Post by **Atmavik** » 08 Jun 2017 05:01

What happens to the letter Qatari Emir gave to badmash shariff now? this looks like the handi work of Muchad shariff leading the Malsi NATO. time for a covfefe-d-eta somewhere

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 08 Jun 2017 06:32

As a fellow conspiracy-theory peddler, UBCN expresses 400% solidarity with Al Jazeera (Pbuh).

Media watchdog: Al Jazeera targeted in Gulf crisis
Reporters Without Borders condemns countries for shutting down offices of the Doha-based media network. Jordan on Tuesday closed the Amman office of the Doha-based television news channel [FILE: Reuters]. Reporters Without Borders condemned Arab countries for targeting Al Jazeera Media Network, saying the broadcaster was a "collateral victim of [the] diplomatic offensive against Qatar". The media rights group slammed Saudi Arabia on Wednesday for closing Al Jazeera's office and revoking its operating licence. Jordan, which has lowered the level of its diplomatic representation in Doha, closed the Amman office of the Doha-based television news channel on Tuesday. The decision to close Al Jazeera’s office in the Saudi capital came hours after Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates on Monday announced they were severing all ties with Qatar over its alleged support of "extremism". Egypt quickly followed suit and other countries have also done so in the days since. Egypt shut down Al Jazeera in 2013 and seized equipment out of its Cairo office. The government of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has also locked up Al Jazeera journalists, some for years, including Mahmound Hussein who has spent 169 days in prison. The countries targeting Qatar have reportedly issued a list of 10 demands, which include shutting down Al Jazeera. "This is not the first time that Saudi authorities have imposed such restrictions on Al Jazeera's operations… We firmly believe these are unjustified measures," Al Jazeera said in a statement. Saudi Arabia is ranked 168th out of 180 countries in Reporter Without Border's 2017 World Press Freedom Index.
"Closing Al Jazeera’s bureaux is a political decision that amounts to censoring this TV broadcaster," Alexandra El Khazen, the head of the group's Middle East desk, said in a statement. Egypt extends detention of Al Jazeera journalist by another 45 days El Khazen singled out Saudi Arabia. "This violation of the freedom to inform compounds the country's already very bad record on free speech and media freedom. We urge the Saudi authorities to rescind this decision and to let Al Jazeera resume operating," she said. Reporters Without Borders said the Gulf diplomatic crisis and the crackdown against Al Jazeera are having repercussions throughout the region, including in Jerusalem. Individuals led by Israeli far-right activist Baruch Marzel stormed into the building that houses the Al Jazeera bureau in East Jerusalem on Tuesday, accusing the broadcaster of being allied to Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and demanding its closure, the media rights group said.

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 08 Jun 2017 06:33

Maldives undies-in-a-knot

Al Jazeera expose on Maldives wins One World award
A documentary exposing wrongdoings of the Maldives' government wins a prestigious award at the One World Media ceremony.The documentary Stealing Paradise, provides an unprecedented insight into the workings of a corrupt government. It exposes jaw-dropping levels of wrongdoing at the very top of government in the holiday islands of the Maldives.
Al Jazeera's Will Jordan discusses corruption in the Maldives. President Abdulla Yameen is accused of theft, bribery and money laundering. The president received bags filled with up to $1m in cash, it was so much that it was "difficult to carry", according to one of the men who delivered it. The One World Media Awards highlight the vital role journalists play in reporting the developing world. The award is from One World Media and is sponsored by Transparency International. Stealing Paradise attracted global news attention as President Yameen hired London-based legal and public relations firms to try to suppress Al Jazeera's broadcast. The regime also promised serious consequences for anyone "in any way connected with the Al Jazeera documentary". The threats were broadcast on state television and followed by police raids on two media outlets in the capital Male. The offices of a legal firm were also raided by police. Al Jazeera's London-based investigative reporter, Will Jordan, faced numerous death threats on social media prompting a police investigation.
Yameen Rasheed. Accepting the award, Jordan dedicated the prize to the memory of Yameen Rasheed, a writer who was murdered outside his home in April. "We must all keep exposing corruption, which is undermining societies the world over, large and small," said Jordan. Phil Rees, manager of Investigations, praised Jordan and his teammates for their cultivation of sources. "Those who brought this information had faith in two things. First, that having spent one year living in the Maldives, Will Jordan could understand the delicate nature of this story. And second, that Al Jazeera would have the guts to broadcast it. They were right on both scores." The documentary was edited by Adrian Billing, and filmed by Chris Olivotos and Manny Paneratos.

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 08 Jun 2017 06:46

Man! Maldives is posh! Corruption works so much better than boring honest socialism, hey?

Avarachan · Post by **Avarachan** » 08 Jun 2017 07:26

The situation in the Persian Gulf today reminds me of Europe before WWI.

WWI was engineered by the British to maintain the dominance of the British Empire. I recommend studying the Berlin-Baghdad Railway. It would have enabled Germany to obtain oil without threat from the British Navy. I also recommend the book, "Hidden History, The Secret Origins of the First World War." https://firstworldwarhiddenhistory.word ... -the-book/

I suspect the current crisis is being engineered by Israel, the U.K., and the U.S. ... If war breaks out, they will do their best to ensure slaughter on both sides.

http://www.engdahl.oilgeopolitics.net/H ... orld_w.HTM

At first almost unnoticed after 1850, then with significant intensity after the onset of the Great Depression of 1873 in Britain, the sun began to set on the British Empire. By the end of the 19th Century, though the City of London remained undisputed financier of the world, British industrial excellence was in terminal decline. The decline paralleled an equally dramatic rise of a new industrial Great Power on the European stage, the German Reich. Germany soon passed England in output of steel, in quality of machine tools, chemicals and electrical goods. Beginning the 1880’s a group of leading German industrialists and bankers around Deutsche Bank’s Georg von Siemens, recognized the urgent need for some form of colonial sources of raw materials as well as industrial export outlet. With Africa and Asia long since claimed by the other Great Powers, above all Great Britain, German policy set out to develop a special economic sphere in the imperial provinces of the debt-ridden Ottoman Empire. The policy was termed “penetration pacifique” an economic dependency which would be sealed with German military advisors and equipment. Initially, the policy was not greeted with joy in Paris, St. Petersburg or London, but it was tolerated. Deutsche Bank even sought, unsuccessfully, to enlist City of London financial backing for the keystone of the Ottoman expansion policy—the Berlin-to-Baghdad railway project, a project of enormous scale and complexity that would link the interior of Anatolia and Mesopotamia (today Iraq) to Germany. What Berlin and Deutsche Bank did not say was that they had secured subsurface mineral rights, including for oil along the path of the railway, and that their geologists had discovered petroleum in Mosul, Kirkuk and Basra.

The conversion of the British Navy under Churchill to oil from coal meant a high risk strategy as England had abundant coal but no then-known oil. It secured a major concession from the Shah of Persia in the early 1900’s. The Baghdad rail link was increasingly seen in London as a threat to precisely this oil security. The British response to the growing German disruption of the European balance of power after the 1890’s was to carefully craft a series of public and secret alliances with France and with Russia—former rivals—to encircle Germany. As well, she deployed a series of less public intrigues to disrupt the Balkans and encourage a revolt against the Ottoman Sultan via the Young Turks that severely weakened the prospects for the German Drang nach Osten. The dynamic of the rise of German assertiveness, including in addition to the Baghdad rail, the decision in 1900 to build a modern navy over two decades that could rival England’s, set the stage for the outbreak of a war in August 1914 whose real significance was a colossal and tragic struggle for who would succeed the ebbing power of the British Empire. The resolution of that epic struggle was to take a second world war and another quarter century before the victor was undeniably established. The role of oil in the events leading to war in 1914 is too little appreciated. When the historical process behind the war is examined from this light a quite different picture emerges. The British Empire in the decades following 1873 and the American Century hegemony in the decades following approximately 1973 have more in common than is generally appreciated.

Atmavik · Post by **Atmavik** » 08 Jun 2017 07:39

UlanBatori wrote:Man! Maldives is posh! Corruption works so much better than boring honest socialism, hey?

what not even a MAG say sayyyy?

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 08 Jun 2017 07:43

Gotta admire the sheer courage of a reporter who goes home to an apartment in such a small, confined Mafia-run island.

Marten · Post by **Marten** » 08 Jun 2017 07:50

SBajwa wrote:
by Nachiket
Only two things I'm concerned about in this pig-wrestling match are evacuating our people from Qatar and those M2ks. And maybe the oil prices. Otherwise those terrorist supporting barbarians can murder each other for as long as they want.
How do you get 650,000 Indians in Qatar out? That's about 2000 flights (300-350 passengers each)., I think sea route makes more sense!

Sending 50,000 Indian troops might be easier. After all, we are the largest presence and need to protect our citizens. Perhaps time to overrun Bahrain as well and bring an end to the conflict by being the nicer elder brother with troops on the ground.

ArjunPandit · Post by **ArjunPandit** » 08 Jun 2017 09:01

This one seems to be fizzling faster than thought, at least US sent Aircraft carriers

Bart S · Post by **Bart S** » 08 Jun 2017 09:50

ArjunPandit wrote:This one seems to be fizzling faster than thought, at least US sent Aircraft carriers

The problem with issuing a spectacular list of demands with a 24-hour deadline is that when the other side calls your bluff and ignores you, you lose all credibility with no room to back down gracefully.

Gyan · Post by **Gyan** » 08 Jun 2017 10:15

Avarachan wrote:The situation in the Persian Gulf today reminds me of Europe before WWI.

WWI was engineered by the British to maintain the dominance of the British Empire. I recommend studying the Berlin-Baghdad Railway. It would have enabled Germany to obtain oil without threat from the British Navy. I also recommend the book, "Hidden History, The Secret Origins of the First World War." https://firstworldwarhiddenhistory.word ... -the-book/

I suspect the current crisis is being engineered by Israel, the U.K., and the U.S. ... If war breaks out, they will do their best to ensure slaughter on both sides.

http://www.engdahl.oilgeopolitics.net/H ... orld_w.HTM

At first almost unnoticed after 1850, then with significant intensity after the onset of the Great Depression of 1873 in Britain, the sun began to set on the British Empire. By the end of the 19th Century, though the City of London remained undisputed financier of the world, British industrial excellence was in terminal decline. The decline paralleled an equally dramatic rise of a new industrial Great Power on the European stage, the German Reich. Germany soon passed England in output of steel, in quality of machine tools, chemicals and electrical goods. Beginning the 1880’s a group of leading German industrialists and bankers around Deutsche Bank’s Georg von Siemens, recognized the urgent need for some form of colonial sources of raw materials as well as industrial export outlet. With Africa and Asia long since claimed by the other Great Powers, above all Great Britain, German policy set out to develop a special economic sphere in the imperial provinces of the debt-ridden Ottoman Empire. The policy was termed “penetration pacifique” an economic dependency which would be sealed with German military advisors and equipment. Initially, the policy was not greeted with joy in Paris, St. Petersburg or London, but it was tolerated. Deutsche Bank even sought, unsuccessfully, to enlist City of London financial backing for the keystone of the Ottoman expansion policy—the Berlin-to-Baghdad railway project, a project of enormous scale and complexity that would link the interior of Anatolia and Mesopotamia (today Iraq) to Germany. What Berlin and Deutsche Bank did not say was that they had secured subsurface mineral rights, including for oil along the path of the railway, and that their geologists had discovered petroleum in Mosul, Kirkuk and Basra.

The conversion of the British Navy under Churchill to oil from coal meant a high risk strategy as England had abundant coal but no then-known oil. It secured a major concession from the Shah of Persia in the early 1900’s. The Baghdad rail link was increasingly seen in London as a threat to precisely this oil security. The British response to the growing German disruption of the European balance of power after the 1890’s was to carefully craft a series of public and secret alliances with France and with Russia—former rivals—to encircle Germany. As well, she deployed a series of less public intrigues to disrupt the Balkans and encourage a revolt against the Ottoman Sultan via the Young Turks that severely weakened the prospects for the German Drang nach Osten. The dynamic of the rise of German assertiveness, including in addition to the Baghdad rail, the decision in 1900 to build a modern navy over two decades that could rival England’s, set the stage for the outbreak of a war in August 1914 whose real significance was a colossal and tragic struggle for who would succeed the ebbing power of the British Empire. The resolution of that epic struggle was to take a second world war and another quarter century before the victor was undeniably established. The role of oil in the events leading to war in 1914 is too little appreciated. When the historical process behind the war is examined from this light a quite different picture emerges. The British Empire in the decades following 1873 and the American Century hegemony in the decades following approximately 1973 have more in common than is generally appreciated.

Like Coal vs Oil in 1900s, we have Oil vs Gas. The aim of Saudi terrorism is to prevent laying down of an efficient network of Natural Gas Pipelines or rise in crude Oil production by causing disruption through Taliban in Afghanistan and ISIS in Middle East.
If crude oil falls to its genuine cost of US$ 15 per barrel, the current world order will end. Note:- the cost of crude oil production in Middle East is aroudnd US$ 2 per barrel. And there is untappped potential to double the production from the region even at US$ 5-10.

rsingh · Post by **rsingh** » 08 Jun 2017 10:26

This time India has to show some maturity. Instead of evacuation, wetc have to declare an Indian protected zone (IPZ) and send our forces to protect such zone. Indians constitute more then 25%of population. It will show our ability to protect Indians and host nation.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 08 Jun 2017 11:08

Great find Avarachan. Anyway to obtain the full article?

Rsingh thats good idea. We should not vacate our strong toehold in qatar economy. Hawks and have nots will grab what we concede.

We need to send naval ships also to ensure free flow of ships in and out of qatar.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 08 Jun 2017 11:12

Interesting to know UK had started building up.its services economy way back in 1850s!! But in reality it must be even before when dutch inventrd the public stock company and various colonial expeditions and projecys around the world needed funding

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 08 Jun 2017 11:15

Flight paths of qatar airways now use iraq and turkiye

https://twitter.com/badubaii/status/872054985923678208

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 08 Jun 2017 11:54

On a visit to the area many years ago,an Egyptian said that there was a feeling that India could intervene on behalf of its citizens in the region.Thus far,we've been merely evacuating our people,but the logistics of setting up a protected zone would be enormous,costing billions.Far cheaper to bring them home. Secondly,what purpose is there is merely setting up a "refugee camp"? There are no "spoils of victory" in that exercise and unless the host govt. reimburses us in full with some freebies later thrown in,questionable.
If a shooting match between the locals erupts,then it would be best to avoid getting caught in the crossfire.

An informed source in Q ,high up in a major Q co.,with access to both local and western info., is not too worried.Let's see.

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 08 Jun 2017 13:30

http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/new ... 74636.html

q
QATAR AIRWAYS HIT BY AIRSPACE BAN AS GULF DIPLOMATIC ROW INTENSIFIES
Flights grounded between Doha and Dubai as feud with Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt and Bahrain deepens over country's alleged support for Iran and Islamist militants

SIMON CALDER TRAVEL CORRESPONDENT

At 3.34am local time, Emirates flight 848 departed from Doha to Dubai – the last link between these two Middle Eastern hubs until a furious diplomatic row ends.

On a normal day there are almost 20 flights each way between the Qatari airport and Dubai, making it the busiest route in the region. But from 4am today, they are all grounded – along with dozens of other departures and tens of thousands of passengers.

Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have cut military and diplomatic ties with Qatar, alleging the country has been supporting extremist groups.

Saudi Arabia cuts ties with Qatar over terror links
Airlines including Emirates and Etihad have been told to stop flying to Qatar. Emirates announced: “As instructed by the UAE government, Emirates will suspend its flights to and from Doha, starting from the morning of 6 June 2017, until further notice.

“All customers booked on Emirates’ flights to and from Doha will be provided with alternative options, including full refunds on unused tickets and rebooking to alternate Emirates destinations.”

READ MORE
US moves to diffuse diplomatic tensions between Saudi Arabia and Qatar
The fare-comparison website Skyscanner is listing complex and expensive one- and two-stop connections between Doha and Dubai, rather than the usual 70-minute hop.

Saudi Arabia's closure of airspace to Qatar Airways planes seriously affects the airline’s connections with Africa. The overnight arrival from Johannesburg, QR1368, was routed via Oman and Iran to avoid Saudi airspace.

While as signatories to the 1945 International Air Services Transit Agreement, Bahrain, Egypt and the UAE are obliged to allow overflights, the evidence from flight paths monitored by The Independent shows that Qatar Airways is avoiding their airspace.

qatar-dubai-flightradar.jpg
Live image of flights over the Persian Gulf shows Qatar Airways aircraft (yellow icons) avoiding Saudi and Emirati airspace (FlightRadar24)

Flight QTR 1149's route from Muscat (highlighted) takes a lengthy detour through Iranian airspace (FlightRadar24)
The world’s longest flight, from Doha to Auckland, became even longer with a lengthy diversion over Iran.

Early arrivals at Doha on Tuesday morning displayed on FlightRadar24 showed a range of sub-optimal routings. The arrivals from Adelaide, Melbourne and Perth took a northern course over Pakistan and Iran rather than the direct track across the UAE. They all approached Doha from the north, arriving late in Doha.

How Qatar Airways flights are managing bans on flights through the airspace of Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, UAE, & Egypt. https://blog.flightradar24.com/blog/fli ... and-egypt/ …
12:01 PM - 6 Jun 2017

Qatar Airways flight 1149 from Muscat in Oman took an extremely circuitous route to avoid UAE airspace, initially heading east, away from Doha, before turning north-west to Iran.

Qatar Airways flies from Heathrow, Birmingham, Manchester and Edinburgh to Doha. These routes are unlikely to be affected, with aircraft using Turkish and Iranian airspace. But the vast majority of passengers transferring to onward flights. With aircraft flying circuitous routes and picking up delays en route, the potential for disruption of the complex “hub and spoke” operation is significant.

The Independent has asked Qatar Airways how British passengers are likely to be affected, but has not yet had a response.

READ MORE
This is why Saudi Arabia and its allies suddenly cut ties to Qatar
Iran blames Donald Trump for escalating Qatar diplomatic crisis
Qatar stock market plummets and oil rises as neighbours cut ties
Qatar attacks 'unjustified' cut of diplomatic ties by Arab superpowers

Air Transport World reported that Qatar Airways’ CEO, Akbar al-Baker, abandoned an airline chiefs’ event, the IATA annual general meeting, to return to Doha. He is reported to have flown back on Monday on a private jet.

It is unclear what the effect will be on other airlines’ flights. Qatar Airways is the biggest shareholder in British Airways’ parent company, IAG, with one-fifth of the equity. BA flight 123 from Heathrow to Doha arrived on time, after flying over Turkey and Iran.

A reciprocal ban by Qatar on aircraft from the countries which have imposed the restrictions will not have a significant effect on operations.

Falijee · Post by **Falijee** » 08 Jun 2017 15:45

Porinju Veliyath‏Verified account @porinju 7h7 hours ago

Saudi Arabia ditching Qatar over terrorism is like McDonalds accusing Burger King of selling junk food

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 08 Jun 2017 16:30

This falling-out of terrorists finally brings out even on CNN the idea that US/UK/NATO's al-lies in the region are **ALL** terrorist sponsors. I was beginning to wonder if we had got the facts wrong, with all the whining about RT.com propaganda. Now all of that is validated. Quatar IS or at least WAS a sponsor of ISIS and Islamic terrorism in general. Hey, no less an authority than the Khalifa of Saudi Arabia says so. Since Turkiye is helping Qatar, Turkiye is clearly a terrorist. And in return, it is even more clear that KSA is the BIG sponsor of Sunni terror worldwide.

More power to General Vodkov and the Houthis and Assad's kitten-shelter-bombers.

ldev · Post by **ldev** » 08 Jun 2017 18:47

Falijee wrote:Saudi Arabia ditching Qatar over terrorism is like McDonalds accusing Burger King of selling junk food

ldev · Post by **ldev** » 08 Jun 2017 18:52

Philip wrote:An informed source in Q ,high up in a major Q co.,with access to both local and western info., is not too worried.Let's see.

Things did appear dire at one stage when with DT's tweets it appeared that even the US was openly blaming Qatar for terrorist funding. It looked at that stage that Qatar was totally isolated. And then the Sultan threw his weight and troops behind Qatar AND the Sultan is also coordinating with Iran. So armed action is now off the table for the KSA group. And the mediating efforts of the Emir of Kuwait will allow both parties a face saving "compromise"......maybe......

IndraD · Post by **IndraD** » 08 Jun 2017 18:59

Some thing has happened which has mighty pissed off UAE, Bahrain ..all of them in one go..why this timing is still curious..it seems plausible that Trump was assessed to be a weak leader by saudis and they have moved into the vaccum.

ldev · Post by **ldev** » 08 Jun 2017 19:14

IndraD wrote:Some thing has happened which has mighty pissed off UAE, Bahrain ..all of them in one go..why this timing is still curious..it seems plausible that Trump was assessed to be a weak leader by saudis and they have moved into the vaccum.

Funding the MB and giving them positive air time on AJ has pissed off the Egyptians.

Funding Hamas has pissed off the Saudis who fund Fatah (Mahmoud Abbas)

Talking to the Iranians has pissed off the entire GCC except Oman

Claiming islands between their two countries has pissed off Bahrain.

Running negative stories on AJ about all the other GCC governments has pissed off the entire GCC.

And then Trump became the chump when he received in quick succession Mohammad bin Salman and Mohammad bin Zayed just prior to his visit and swallowed their kool-aid. So just like Saddam thought he had got the green light, the KSA group thought that they had got the green signal now from the US.

IndraD · Post by **IndraD** » 08 Jun 2017 19:25

very much possible no wonder Al Jazeera is at the heart of grouse and GCC is asking unanimously to shut it down..this kind of fury against a media house is unprecedented; is there any support for Al J from right groups or they have gone in hiding..
btw Al J shows India in very poor light I have seen documentaries and articles pissing at India..

Prem · Post by **Prem** » 08 Jun 2017 20:47

http://www.basnews.com/index.php/en/new ... tan/356075
Kurdistan Sets Date for Independence Referendum
( GOI have sent delegation yesterday to discuss economic matters with KRG)

LODZ — In a multilateral meeting chaired by Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani in Erbil, the participants set September 25th of this year as the date to hold the referendum on Kurdistan’s independence.The sides also decided to hold presidential and parliamentary elections later on November 6th.Earlier BasNews revealed that Barzani is holding a broad meeting with the Kurdish political parties to discuss a range of issues including the independence referendum.However, Change (Gorran) Movement has already decided to not attend the meeting while other factions, including the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and many others, welcomed the invitation, saying independence is a national issue that must not be bounded to political disputes between the sides.

Falijee · Post by **Falijee** » 08 Jun 2017 21:00

This Kind Of Propaganda Can Put Even Gobbels To Shame.

Iran Revolutionary Guards ‘protecting Qatar’s Sheikh Tamim inside his palace’
Staff writer, Al Arabiya English Wednesday, 7 June 2017

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps are allegedly protecting the Qatari emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani inside his palace, Egyptian sources said on Wednesday.The sources added that the Revolutionary Guards arrived in Qatar under the cover of training.Gulf states that have cut diplomatic ties with Qatar in recent days accuse it of having a strong relationship with Iran, despite apparent differences in Syria.

heikh Tamim’s statements last month, in which he said there was “no wisdom in harboring hostility toward Iran,” confirmed previous reports that discussed in detail the tight security relationship between both countries, despite the existing tensions between Doha and most members of the Gulf Cooperation Council.Several countries including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt severed their ties with Qatar on Monday. Each country has issued a separate statement explaining the reasoning behind their decisions, but all agreed on Qatar’s role in supporting terrorism and interfering in the internal affairs of other states.

This proves, once again, the "truism" of the ancient Middle East adage : me and my brother, against me and my cousin , me and my cousin against ..... so on and so forth !

PS: Iran sends first cargo plane carrying food supplies to Qatar !

.

IndraD · Post by **IndraD** » 08 Jun 2017 21:09

Australian supporters booed the Saudi Arabian football team after they failed to properly line up for a minute's silence in honour of the victims of the London Bridge terror attacks.

The visiting Saudi Arabian team was playing a World Cup qualifier match at the Adelaide Oval when the stadium announcer called for a minute's silence to begin. http://www.dnaindia.com/sports/report-w ... er-2465971

Falijee · Post by **Falijee** » 08 Jun 2017 21:19

QATAR AIRWAYS ADDRESS IN NYC !!!

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 09 Jun 2017 01:07

From Al Jazeera (pbuh) Posted before they become history.

Analysis: Qatar-Gulf crisis: Who are the 'terrorists'?
For the Trump administration, the 'terrorist' label is little more than a foreign policy tool of the US and its allies.

07 Jun 2017 20:08 GMT |
Abdullah Al-Arian

@anhistorian

Abdullah Al-Arian is assistant professor of history at Georgetown University, School of Foreign Service in Qatar and author of Answering the Call: Popular Islamic Activism in Sadat's Egypt.
On May 21, US President Donald Trump headlined a widely celebrated summit in Saudi Arabia bringing together the heads of state of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and many of their regional allies to affirm their commitment to the never-ending battle against "terrorism".
Just two weeks later, one wonders whether the GCC will go down as yet another in a long line of failed enterprises that got the patented Trump touch. During the festivities in Riyadh, all participants agreed with the general tenor of Trump's "terrorism is bad" speech.
They applauded enthusiastically, touched a glowing orb, and returned home committed to fighting their common scourge.

READ MORE: Qatar-Gulf crisis - Your questions answered

But Air Force One had barely departed Riyadh when the governments of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates launched a well-coordinated diplomatic and media assault on neighbouring Qatar, attributing false statements to its ruler, banning its news outlets, and accusing Qatar's government of supporting "terrorism".
Then on Monday, Saudi Arabia and the UAE were joined by Egypt and Bahrain in severing all diplomatic ties with Qatar. The following day, Trump tweeted his enthusiastic support for the blockade of a longtime US ally, potentially launching the crisis into uncharted waters.
The latest escalation in this regional rivalry represents a combination of settling old scores and aggressively consolidating a unitary vision for the Middle East.
Trump's expansive view of "terrorism", shared by his Saudi and Emirati allies, effectively includes any group or party opposed to authoritarianism or occupation, irrespective of whether they engage in actual violence.
Although the Trump administration has stopped short of formally designating the Muslim Brotherhood a "terrorist organisation" thus far, it has endorsed the view that it should nevertheless be treated as one.
As the recently leaked emails of the Emirati ambassador to Washington confirmed, the UAE spent considerable resources lobbying US officials to endorse the 2013 military coup that brought a violent end to Egypt's revolutionary moment and the tenuous transition to democracy dominated by the Muslim Brotherhood's political party.
The Emirati ambassador was revealed to have coordinated closely with the most hawkish pro-Israel think-tanks in Washington to promote a view of the Middle East that posits the conservative monarchies, military dictatorships, and Israel as the bulwark against Iranian expansionism and Sunni Islamists.
For its perceived role in promoting the Muslim Brotherhood, hosting members of Hamas' political bureau, and taking a softer line on Iran, Qatar became a central target of the Saudi-Emirati-Israeli joint lobbying efforts.
Although this conflict has been simmering for the better part of a decade, it is clear from the rapid escalation over the past two weeks that Trump's visit signalled the green light for the aggressive action by the Saudi and Emirati bloc.

OPINION: Why is Egypt involved in the latest GCC crisis?

Within hours of Trump's Riyadh speech in which he lauded the anti-terror measures of some of the most notorious violators of human rights in the region, Bahraini security forces conducted one of their deadliest raids in many months, while Egyptian officials arrested a prominent human rights lawyer and clamped down further on alternative media outlets.

Whereas the Obama administration represented a significant obstacle to their agenda, Saudi leaders believe the opening provided by Trump has given them the opportunity to settle a score many years in the making.

Qatar's original sin was in attempting to forge a path independent of Saudi's traditional hegemony in the region. Since the mid-1990s, Qatar has tried to escape the looming Saudi shadow, at times by developing even closer ties with traditional Saudi allies like the United States, which relocated its military's Central Command to Qatar after 9/11 and used it to launch the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

Qatar also gradually eclipsed Saudi Arabia as a regional leader entrusted to resolve civil disputes, frequently hosting warring factions from Afghanistan, Sudan, Lebanon, and the Palestinian territories for reconciliation talks.

At other times, Qatar supported the emergence of alternative centres of power around the region, launching the Al Jazeera network in 1996 with the aim of bringing to light views that had been largely suppressed by regional dictatorships, including those of the Islamist opposition.

Most of the current accusations against Qatar date back to the years leading up to and during the Arab Spring uprisings that began in 2010. Unlike its neighbours, Qatar lent its support for the removal of authoritarian regimes in Egypt and Tunisia, and generally endorsed the possibilities offered by a new era of political openness for repressed populations around the region.

That support was quite often channelled through Islamist parties poised to take power in democratic elections such as the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and the Ennahda Movement in Tunisia. Even amid questions surrounding Qatar's actual motives for pursuing such a policy, or the fact that it stopped short of supporting the uprising in neighbouring Bahrain, Qatar was placed in the anti-establishment camp.
READ MORE: Timeline of Qatar-GCC disputes from 1991 to 2017
With the success of the counterrevolutionary wave and the total suppression of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and much of the region, the movement has ceased to have any effect on the regional order, which highlights the question: "Why the current escalation?"
Along with punishing Qatar for past offences, this battle appears to be more about crushing the last vestiges of hope for any independent political thought in the Middle East.
That would explain why, in its supposed battle against "terrorism", the Saudi-Emirati bloc would target internationally established media organisations and research institutions and seek to ban prominent Arab intellectuals and thinkers.
The demands issued by Saudi and Emirati leaders have little to do with fighting "terrorism" and everything to do with barring all forms of dissent in a region where the rise of violent opposition has often been linked to the absence of political freedoms.
In supporting these measures, the Trump administration has demonstrated that the "terrorist" label remains little more than a foreign policy tool of the US and its allies.
Source: Al Jazeera News

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 09 Jun 2017 01:10

Qatar 'not prepared to change its foreign policy'
Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani says Qatar has never experienced such hostility, even from an enemy country.
Qatar says the charges are baseless.
"We are not ready to surrender, and will never be ready to surrender, the independence of our foreign policy," Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman said.
Al Jazeera's Hashem Ahelbarra, reporting from Doha, said Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman was defiant and stressed that Qatar could live under embargo for ever.
"He said Qatar has the backing of the international community and that they will manage to mitigate the consequences of this crisis," our correspondent said.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman said that "measures had been taken by the Qatari government to ensure that the standards provided to the people will be maintained".
He said Qatar had not yet been presented with a list of demands by the countries that cut off ties with the country on Monday, but he insisted it be solved by peaceful means.
"There cannot ever be a military solution to this problem," he said.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman further said that the contingent of Turkish troops set to deploy to Qatar was for the sake of the entire region's security.
Meanwhile, Qatar will respect the LNG gas agreements it has made with the UAE despite its cutting off relations with Doha, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman said.
He said Iran has told Qatar it is ready to help with securing food supplies and will designate three of its ports to Qatar, but the offer has not yet been accepted.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman's comments came a day after a high-level UAE government official told AFP news agency that the unprecedented measures against Qatar aim to pressure the country into making drastic policy changes.
Accusing the Qatari government of being in "denial", Anwar Gargash, UAE state minister for foreign affairs, said: "This is not about regime change - this is about change of policy, change of approach."
The four Arab countries have suspended all flights to and from Doha and closed off sea and air links to Qatar.
Saudi Arabia has also closed off Qatar's only land border.
Analysts say the crisis is in part an extension of a pre-existing dispute which saw Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain temporarily recall their ambassadors from Doha in 2014 over Qatari support for the Muslim Brotherhood.

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 09 Jun 2017 01:35

UlanBatori wrote:From Al Jazeera (pbuh) Posted before they become history.
Analysis: Qatar-Gulf crisis: Who are the 'terrorists'?

For the Trump administration, the 'terrorist' label is little more than a foreign policy tool of the US and its allies.

07 Jun 2017 20:08 GMT |
Abdullah Al-Arian

@anhistorian

Abdullah Al-Arian is assistant professor of history at Georgetown University, School of Foreign Service in Qatar and author of Answering the Call: Popular Islamic Activism in Sadat's Egypt.

On May 21, US President Donald Trump headlined a widely celebrated summit in Saudi Arabia bringing together the heads of state of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and many of their regional allies to affirm their commitment to the never-ending battle against "terrorism".

Just two weeks later, one wonders whether the GCC will go down as yet another in a long line of failed enterprises that got the patented Trump touch. During the festivities in Riyadh, all participants agreed with the general tenor of Trump's "terrorism is bad" speech.
They applauded enthusiastically, touched a glowing orb, and returned home committed to fighting their common scourge.

READ MORE: Qatar-Gulf crisis - Your questions answered

But Air Force One had barely departed Riyadh when the governments of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates launched a well-coordinated diplomatic and media assault on neighbouring Qatar, attributing false statements to its ruler, banning its news outlets, and accusing Qatar's government of supporting "terrorism".
Then on Monday, Saudi Arabia and the UAE were joined by Egypt and Bahrain in severing all diplomatic ties with Qatar. The following day, Trump tweeted his enthusiastic support for the blockade of a longtime US ally, potentially launching the crisis into uncharted waters.
The latest escalation in this regional rivalry represents a combination of settling old scores and aggressively consolidating a unitary vision for the Middle East.
Trump's expansive view of "terrorism", shared by his Saudi and Emirati allies, effectively includes any group or party opposed to authoritarianism or occupation, irrespective of whether they engage in actual violence.
Although the Trump administration has stopped short of formally designating the Muslim Brotherhood a "terrorist organisation" thus far, it has endorsed the view that it should nevertheless be treated as one.
As the recently leaked emails of the Emirati ambassador to Washington confirmed, the UAE spent considerable resources lobbying US officials to endorse the 2013 military coup that brought a violent end to Egypt's revolutionary moment and the tenuous transition to democracy dominated by the Muslim Brotherhood's political party.
The Emirati ambassador was revealed to have coordinated closely with the most hawkish pro-Israel think-tanks in Washington to promote a view of the Middle East that posits the conservative monarchies, military dictatorships, and Israel as the bulwark against Iranian expansionism and Sunni Islamists.

{I]{Data from Wiki leaks. Also did the UAE envoy lobby Clinton Foundation too?}[/I]

For its perceived role in promoting the Muslim Brotherhood, hosting members of Hamas' political bureau, and taking a softer line on Iran, Qatar became a central target of the Saudi-Emirati-Israeli joint lobbying efforts.
Although this conflict has been simmering for the better part of a decade, it is clear from the rapid escalation over the past two weeks that Trump's visit signalled the green light for the aggressive action by the Saudi and Emirati bloc.

OPINION: Why is Egypt involved in the latest GCC crisis?

Within hours of Trump's Riyadh speech in which he lauded the anti-terror measures of some of the most notorious violators of human rights in the region, Bahraini security forces conducted one of their deadliest raids in many months, while Egyptian officials arrested a prominent human rights lawyer and clamped down further on alternative media outlets.

Whereas the Obama administration represented a significant obstacle to their agenda, Saudi leaders believe the opening provided by Trump has given them the opportunity to settle a score many years in the making.

Qatar's original sin was in attempting to forge a path independent of Saudi's traditional hegemony in the region. Since the mid-1990s, Qatar has tried to escape the looming Saudi shadow, at times by developing even closer ties with traditional Saudi allies like the United States, which relocated its military's Central Command to Qatar after 9/11 and used it to launch the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

Qatar also gradually eclipsed Saudi Arabia as a regional leader entrusted to resolve civil disputes, frequently hosting warring factions from Afghanistan, Sudan, Lebanon, and the Palestinian territories for reconciliation talks.

At other times, Qatar supported the emergence of alternative centres of power around the region, launching the Al Jazeera network in 1996 with the aim of bringing to light views that had been largely suppressed by regional dictatorships, including those of the Islamist opposition.

Most of the current accusations against Qatar date back to the years leading up to and during the Arab Spring uprisings that began in 2010. Unlike its neighbours, Qatar lent its support for the removal of authoritarian regimes in Egypt and Tunisia, and generally endorsed the possibilities offered by a new era of political openness for repressed populations around the region.

That support was quite often channelled through Islamist parties poised to take power in democratic elections such as the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and the Ennahda Movement in Tunisia. Even amid questions surrounding Qatar's actual motives for pursuing such a policy, or the fact that it stopped short of supporting the uprising in neighbouring Bahrain, Qatar was placed in the anti-establishment camp.

With the success of the counterrevolutionary wave and the total suppression of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and much of the region, the movement has ceased to have any effect on the regional order, which highlights the question: "Why the current escalation?"
Along with punishing Qatar for past offences, this battle appears to be more about crushing the last vestiges of hope for any independent political thought in the Middle East.
That would explain why, in its supposed battle against "terrorism", the Saudi-Emirati bloc would target internationally established media organisations and research institutions and seek to ban prominent Arab intellectuals and thinkers.
The demands issued by Saudi and Emirati leaders have little to do with fighting "terrorism" and everything to do with barring all forms of dissent in a region where the rise of violent opposition has often been linked to the absence of political freedoms.
In supporting these measures, the Trump administration has demonstrated that the "terrorist" label remains little more than a foreign policy tool of the US and its allies.
Source: Al Jazeera News

A few remarks:
- Qatar was following a policy that would gradual induce regime changes in all these states, Saudi, Egout, UAE, Bahrain and ilk. Hence shutting down Qatar is a national security decision for them.
- Having US is not enough when there are others who can give bigger inducements. Even hosting a base is not enough as Qatar found out. If so we need to see why Trump would do what he is doing?
- Two aspects we see are:
-- Iran is mentioned as a looming threat. Invokes Arab-Persian, Shia- Sunni, rival oil producer etc.
-- Obama is mentioned as another factor.
I submit both are connected.

Obama removed the Iran sanctions which freed up Iran's shackles to sell oil. This lowered the price of oil which impacted Saudis, US domestic 'awl' drillers etc.
Also the globalist cartels could benefit from Iran oil trades.

One gawdy ceremony not given attention is Trump getting that medal and the dance of the swords in Riyadh.

It means he is now the benefactor of the Saudis and has displaced the Bushes. That was the initiation ceremony.
Trump is laser focused on Iran. Why?

My gut feeling is that is related to the Globalist vs. Nationalist struggle going on in US. It started with the 2012 Obama elections. The environmental, stop drilling, pipelines all are Democratic hits on Republican base.
The 2014 elections gave the Nationalist Republicans the power to hit back and we are seeing that.
Freeing up Iran from sanctions and allowing energy trading benefits the Globalist cartels who support the Democrats.
So to me it looks like the Republicans has cast their lot with the Sunni Muslims and the Democrats with the Shia Muslims.

Now go reread the Robert Kaplan paper on "Eurasia and the US Military Response" This is the Muslim/Sunni NATO being formed.

It might end in regime change in Pakistan and some deal offered to allow them to become new Turkey of Sunni NATO.

Rudradev · Post by **Rudradev** » 09 Jun 2017 01:53

Ramana garu, re: Kaplan's piece, he talks of two imperial states in West Asia: Turkey and Persia (Iran).

The third imperial state in West Asia is of course the USA, its chief proxy having been KSA for a long time (since Roosevelt-Ibn Saud agreement of '45).

If you look at the map, the heart of the West Asian USA empire is the Gulf and Arabian Peninsula.

Since 2003 and Iraqi Freedom Iranian empire has been expanding and consolidating to its west (eastern Levant). Since Erdogan and moreover Syrian war, Turkish empire has been trying to make inroads to its south (central Levant). American proxies in the Levant have included Jordan and Israel (central/western), Kurdish northern Iraq (central/eastern), and as long as Mubarak was there Egypt (western). But the core US empire reigned supreme south of 30th parallel.

Qatar has invited not just Iran, but also Turkey, south into the US Empire's core area in the Arabian peninsula. Earlier the only challenge from another empire south of 30th parallel had come from Houthis in Yemen... an isolated "outpost", much like the Kurds are for America in the central/eastern Levant. Qatar however is violating redlines severely by inviting a breach of unassailable, contiguous imperial borders.

Avarachan · Post by **Avarachan** » 09 Jun 2017 04:52

Singha wrote:Great find Avarachan. Anyway to obtain the full article?

I put the link to the article in my original post. Here it is again:
http://www.engdahl.oilgeopolitics.net/H ... orld_w.HTM

Beyond that, one should purchase his book, "A Century of War: Anglo-American Oil Politics and the New World Order."
https://www.amazon.com/Century-War-Angl ... ds=engdahl

This map of the Berlin-Baghdad Railway explains a lot:

I discovered Engdahl through Saker's site. http://www.thesaker.is

ldev · Post by **ldev** » 09 Jun 2017 07:09

Relations between India and Qatar have been quite tight recently. But GOI appears to be balancing it's relations with KSA and UAE as well. It may have to be a delicate balancing act.

Gulf-Qatar rift: What it means for India and the global oil market

Qatar in the past three years has become almost a strategic ally for India. The Qatar government has offered to fill up India’s strategic reserves for free in exchange for buying its natural gas and easier access for Doha’s capital into the Indian economy. One of those is the one its kind permission given to Qatar Airways to fly as a domestic airline in India.

And the Emir of Qatar has made a personal visit to India in addition to an official visit (this looks like the ex-Emir of Qatar, father of the current Emir)

Emir of Qatar arrives in Jaipur on a two day visit

Published: Tuesday, March 21, 2017, 18:45 [IST]

Jaipur, Mar 21: Emir of Qatar Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad al-Thani on Tuesday arrived in Jaipur for his two-day visit to the pink city. The Emir reached Jaipur International Airport on Tuesday on his private plane with over 30 members on board, including his family, protocol officer Mohd Tariq Khan told PTI. He will be staying at a city hotel for two days, he said. "It is Emir's personal tour. He has come along with his family and his support staff. He will be in Jaipur for two days," protocol officer, Khan said.

Gyan · Post by **Gyan** » 09 Jun 2017 09:40

It's not only Saudi Vs Qatar but also Oil vs Natural Gas.

Karthik S · Post by **Karthik S** » 09 Jun 2017 09:51

All KSA does is spread wahabi ideology in India, provide all support to the pakis, work against India's interests. Why are we trying to be nice to them. We can get oil from Iran and other latin american countries. Or atleast make a deal with the saudis regarding our interests in return for our neutrality or support.

Karthik S · Post by **Karthik S** » 09 Jun 2017 11:32

It's two way street isn't it. 3 million will come under "too big to fail" for sparsely population country like KSA. What will KSA do? deport all? Where will they find those many skilled workers from? We know what they think about pakis and BDs. Who'll replace them? BTW if they do, we should increase our support to Iran and Qatar now.

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 09 Jun 2017 13:40

Gyan spot on.Qatar sharing with Iran the largest reserves of sweet gas in the world, is the envy of the Saudis and Gulfies.Qatar's huge wealth thanks to it,
has seen it gobble up many an entity worldwide.Like the 25% stake in the holding co. of British Airways,football teams,etc.
Al Jazeera is a thorn in its flesh,with its by ultra-conservative Islamic stds.,free-wheeling style,affecting the mindset of citizens in Wahaabi influenced societies.

The fact that Qatar is also "sweet" on the MB in Egypt,who have been calling for reform for decades,in that mil-dictatorship, the Hiz in Lebanon,pals of the Iranians,is undermining the Saudi's gameplan with the US,etc. of gobbling up Syria and its petro-wealth,said to be larger than that of Kuwait!
Now to add fuel to the fire,Turkey is coming out in support of Qatar.Some sources say that Turkish troops are arriving by air in strength.
(https://www.voanews.com/a/turkey-agrees ... 92808.html)
If Iran and Turkey are on the same side,then expect Russia to be a grey figure in the background.This is a splendid opportunity for Russia to entrench itself in yet another Arab nation if the word on the street that the US may pull out of Qatar is true.

'There is no trust': Gulf states give up hope on Qatar
United Arab Emirates ambassador says: ‘We have reached the end of the line in discussing with Qataris how things can get better’
The Qatari foreign minister, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, in Doha on 8 June.

Patrick Wintour Diplomatic editor
Friday 9 June 2017
The Gulf states have lost all trust in Qatar and have reached the end of the line in discussing how things can get better, one of the leading diplomats from the United Arab Emirates has said.

The Qatar spat exposes Britain’s game of thrones in the Gulf
Paul Mason

The UAE, along with Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt, is mounting an unprecedented diplomatic and economic blockade against Qatar, alleging ties to terrorism. Qatar has dismissed the charge as cover for an attempt to rein in its independent foreign policy and economy.

Omar Saif Ghobas, the United Arab Emirates’ ambassador to Russia, said a verification system would have to be put in place to ensure Qatar stuck to any future deal not to nurture or fund terror.

“There is no trust, it has gone,” Ghobas said. “So when the Qatari foreign minister says ‘listen, we need to engage in dialogue’, we have done that for many years – that’s just a statement for western consumption.”

Ghobas, one of the most eloquent exponents of UAE thinking, insisted the new anti-Qatar alliance was not planning a military invasion or externally enforced regime change. Instead, he said Qatar had a history of internal regime change, implying the UAE would welcome the removal of the emir.

*(This means a plot to assassinate the ruling family by the Saudis & co.may be on the cards)

“I have heard rumours and a couple of articles suggesting military invasion, but Qatar has a fine history of regime change on its own. It is up to the Qatari people and the royal family to decide if that is the right approach or not. We are not looking at military options at all. It is Turkey that is militarising the position.”

The Turkish parliament this week cleared a bill giving the go-ahead for pre-existing plans for its troops to go to a new base in Qatar.

“We believe we have reached the end of the line in discussing with Qataris how things can get better,” Ghobas said. “They have known for a very long time we have issues with the funding of extremists.”

The UAE and Saudis, seen as the driving force behind the push for a change in Qatar’s foreign policy, claim they were let down in 2014 when, after a previous démarche, Qatar allegedly reneged on a commitment to rein its support for political Islam.

Asked if Qatar could say anything to reassure its Gulf opponents, Ghobas replied: “It is true it will be difficult in the long run if they agree to sign another document and then decide to drag it out for many months or years and to continue to fund extremist groups. This will require a tremendous verification system.

It’s Qatar v Saudi Arabia. But the west can’t afford to pick a side
Peter Salisbury

“Qatar’s policy is a dead end and it will only lead to destruction, so essentially what we are asking is for the Qataris to give up on their foreign policy which calls up for an an alliance between a tremendous amount of wealth and extremely radical Islam.”

Speaking to reporters in the capital, Doha, on Thursday, Qatar’s foreign minister said the move by its fellow Arab states to isolate it was endangering stability in the oil-rich Gulf region.

“We are not ready to surrender, and will never be ready to surrender, the independence of our foreign policy,” Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani said. “We have been isolated because we are successful and progressive. We are a platform for peace not terrorism ... This dispute is threatening the stability of the entire region.”

Qatar insists it does not fund extremism and says the presence of leading figures from Hamas or the Muslim Brotherhood in Doha is in part an effort to increase mediation efforts and try to achieve peace in the Middle East. It questions whether other more traditional Gulf monarchies are interested in Middle East peace and points to the hypocrisy of Saudi Arabia, given widespread accusations that it too is a funding source for Islamist jihadis.

Ghobas claimed that Qatar’s rulers were not motivated by ideological reasons: “They are not devout Muslims promoting a version of Islam. They are taking a bet. They are being very opportunistic; they are making a bet that political Islam will allow them to be the paymaster of the Arab world and they can reap economic benefit.”

Many observers say the evidence of direct funding by the Qatari government to extremist groups is thin and that the dispute really turns on the future governance of the Middle East, including the threat that political Islam might pose to authoritarian regimes.

Ghobas said: “The idea that there is an Islamic solution to Middle East’s social and economic problems is not something we are persuaded of.”