NEW POWER BALANCE IN THE ARAB WORLD……..
WHERE THE TRADITIONALLY POWERFUL COUNTRIES LIKE EGYPT, ALGERIA AND IRAQ PROVED HELPLESS AGAINST THE WEALTHY DWARF QATAR
The recent ARAB LEAGUE summit, which illegally decided to provide military aid to the SYRIAN opposition under pressure from Doha, has once again demonstrated that there is a new power balance in the Arab world where the traditionally powerful countries like EGYPT, ALGERIA and IRAQ have again proved helpless against the wealthy dwarf QATAR. The emirate used every means at its disposal to get what it wanted, including financial blackmail. Even SAUDI ARABIA showed less perseverance than QATAR.
Doha has obviously become extremely disillusioned with the survivability of SYRIA’S legitimate government, which has held out for more than two years despite the active external pressure aimed at removing the Assad regime from power and the foreign military assistance provided to the armed SYRIAN opposition, which Doha has generously funded. QATAR has already spent so much money that it has put on hold a number of domestic development projects, and foreign investments in the country have significantly fallen off.
QATAR AT ODDS WITH RUSSIA OVER ITS STANCE ON SYRIA? OR IS IT ABOUT DOMINATING THE GAS ENERGY MARKETS?
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| reactivation of Trans-Arabian Pipeline |
E.g. the Emir has not fulfilled his promises to participate in several major RUSSIAN projects that he made during his November 2010 visit to Moscow. The question arises — is it because of lack of money, or is QATAR reprimanding RUSSIA for its SYRIA stance? The main reason, of course, is the latter. After all, in November 2011 the RUSSIAN ambassador was questioned at Doha airport. Furthermore an attempt was made to confiscate his diplomatic pouch because he allegedly antagonized local Wahhabis, by too energetically defending his country’s position in the local media. QATARI objective is clear: to topple the SYRIAN regime which is blocking a gas and oil pipeline project from QATAR to TURKEY via SAUDI ARABIA, JORDAN and SYRIA with final destination European. The strategic objective behind the move is clear — squeeze RUSSIA out of its traditional markets for natural gas supplies in SOUTHEASTERN and EASTERN EUROPE, as well as in TURKEY. And Doha is not doing it just on its own accord; US pressure has been brought to bear.
QATAR: A NATURAL GAS FIELD AND LARGEST US AIRBASE IN THE MIDDLE EAST
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| US Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar |
After all, the Emirate can hardly be considered a state in the classical sense. It is actually a large natural gas field that is dominated by US-based EXXON MOBIL and the largest US Air Force base in the MIDDLE EAST, which has almost 5000 US military personnel, i.e., almost half as many as are in the QATARI Armed Forces. How much independence does Qatar really have? Moreover, the Emir and his family are caught on Washington’s hook. After all, the Emirate had previously been listed as a state sponsor of terrorism, and it was only taken off the list because it allowed its territory to be used in the war against IRAQ. But many members of the Emir’s family openly supported the terrorists who allegedly carried out the attacks in New York and Washington on September 11, 2001. Indeed, the legitimacy of the Emir himself is questioned by almost half of the members of the Al Thani family. After all, he removed his father from the throne in 1995, which prompted his brother and some of his relatives to leave the country in protest and still are living in exile.
QATAR WAS ONE OF THE MAIN SPONSORS OF THE WAR IN CHECHNYA
One should not forget that QATAR was one of the chief sponsors of the war in CHECHNYA, generously funding ARAB mercenaries and the CHECHEN rebels. When the rebellion in CHECHNYA was crushed, it was no coincident that Zelimkhan Yanderbiyev, the “president” of Ichkeria, was given refuge in the Emirate along with more than 800 of his supporters. Today, several QATARI Islamic charitable funds generously donate money to terrorists throughout the world — from AFRICA to the PHILIPPINES, not to mention the ARAB world. Also, Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi, the main mouthpiece of the Muslim Brotherhood and chairman of the International Union of Muslim Scholars, broadcasts from Doha. Not to mention Al Jazeera, given its disruptive role in all of the ARAB “revolutions.”
TINY STATE IMPOSES ITS WILL ON ENTIRE ARAB NATIONS
The question lies elsewhere — how is it that this small country, which has a population of fewer than 300,000 citizens (smaller then CYPRUS) and employs 1.5 million foreigners, manages to impose its will on the ARABS? Surely it is not because of a special talent possessed by its prime minister and foreign minister, Hamad bin Jassim, who was a low-grade clerk in some second-rate ministry 20 years ago and does not even have a college degree. He is better known for the business he does using the Emirate’s sovereign wealth fund than as a world-class diplomat. The answer would seem to be simple. Doha’s financial resources enabled it to manipulate the situation in EGYPT and LIBYA, making them financially dependent on QATAR. But ALGERIA and IRAQ refuse to deal with the Emirate for fear of money flowing to local Salafis, representing large numbers in both countries. Especially since QATAR has de-facto encouraged the rift between IRAQI Sunnis and the Shiite majority government.
QATAR AND SAUDI ARABIA
However, it would be the beginning of the end for QATAR if SYRIA’S legitimate government continues to hold on to power. If the armed SYRIAN opposition is defeated, it would have considerable geopolitical consequences for Doha. The Emirate’s biggest fear is that the current SYRIAN administration manages to eradicate “Islamist revolutionaries” who are trying to take control in SYRIA. Doha would then have to answer to the entire radical conservative Arab world, including SAUDI ARABIA, which could remove the current Emir from his throne in a matter of hours. Now that QATAR has taken up the banner of “revolution,” it needs to carry it to the end — to victory or to its own end. Nobody needs a loser, neither QATAR, nor the AMERICANS. Thus Qatar could face an uncertain future, for it seems it was created on the foundations of oil and gas and dictates doctrines, based on the precepts of 17th century Islam on the one hand, and on the other hand demands democracy in other Arab countries, whose histories and civilizations are thousands of years older than the latter.
Read also related articles:
By Peter Lvov, via Oriental Review
Background Information: Read also:
SAUDI ARABIA AND QATAR
THE QATARI PROJECT: “DESTROYING SAUDI ARABIA”?
The events of the ARAB Spring and the variables that have happened in IRAQ after invading it in 2003, which led to the fall of the dictatorial rulers, caused authoritarian and political vacuum, over which the States whose governments still hold the reins of power in it have competed and thus have turned into powerful States.
QATAR is one of these States that is small but yet have great ambitions and is supported and backed by the UNITED STATES and ISRAEL. In fact, the Gulf area have become an area where both influence and power between different parties compete, including QATAR and SAUDI ARABIA, and the region in turn have changed into a yard for political conflicts. It became clear that the Arab policy in general is based on the special interests of the rulers and never respects the freedom of speech or conscience, especially that what is happening seemingly is quite different from what is hidden between lines.
It is clear that QATAR’S policy aims at strengthening its authority and role in the region, most likely at the expense of the SAUDI role.
HOW MUCH AND TO WHOM IS QATAR PAYING?
At the same time, the SYRIAN-QATARI relations became strained over QATAR’S plan to hit SYRIA in order to get a foothold in the Gulf and then to destroy and divide other countries so that to become a superpower among small fragmented States in the region. QATAR is so far supporting the SYRIAN armed opposition financially and in the media to expose the role of the SAUDI government after dropping SYRIA. Therefore, the basic question remains: How much and to whom is QATAR paying?
THE ANSWER: WAHHABI ASSOCIATIONS AND MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD
The answer is clear: Sheikha Mozah’s association has paid about 200 million dollars to Wahhabi associations as (“Ansar al-Sunnah” in EGYPT) and 100 million dollars to the Muslim Brotherhood. Additionally, the Emir of QATAR has built a huge mosque in the name of Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab.
QATAR has also implemented a military plan aiming at transferring the U.S. military bases from SAUDI ARABIA to its territories and by doing so it imposed itself on the Western world as a regional and Arab country. This became a reason to intimidate SAUDI ARABIA materially and politically, since the kingdom was the place where GULF STATES and other countries agree seemed to show consensus among each other.
STRIVING FOR BECOMING THE REGIONAL POWER PLAYER
Thus, a new ideology against the ruling family in SAUDI ARABIA would be promoted between the army and the SAUDI people in order to destabilize and destroy the SAUDI State politically and economically, so that QATAR will raise its political stakes in the region.
At the same time, the situation in SAUDI ARABIA is not as calm as usual, and the so-called “SAUDI stability” seems to slowly crumble, for the oil-rich eastern Shiite areas are boiling and the sounds of explosions are heard in the areas very close to the capital Riyadh. Additionally, the descendants of the ancient Arab families in the Hijaz and Asir, west of the country, do still remember the role they have played earlier in the life of the Arabian Peninsula, of which they have been deprived in the era of Al-Saud. QATAR the small, stable, and rich country, will use this opportunity to take advantages over contradictions and divisions Arab state have been showcasing for centuries, thus displaying QATAR as the regional player to reckon with.
Via ABNA an Iranian viewpoint
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QATAR’S GREAT POWER GAMES Updated at :
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Tuesday, April 2, 2013
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