• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About
    • Our Mission
      • Political Islam
    • Areas of Expertise
      • Economic Warfare
        • Cyber Security
      • U.S. Policy
      • Anti-Corruption
      • Foreign Election Observing
      • Supporting Free Speech
        • Legislation
      • Impact of ACD’s Work
      • Free Speech Celebration, U.S. Senate
    • Board of Directors & Advisors
    • Our Team
    • Contact Us
    • Subscribe
  • Our Impact
    • Endorsements
    • Additional Praise
  • Media
    • Events
      • Coming Events
    • Radio
    • Television
    • Youtube
  • Publications
    • All Posts Archive
    • Articles
    • Books
    • Papers
    • Presentations
    • Recommended Readings
  • Free Speech
    • Legislation & Support
    • Impact of ACD’s Work
      • Free Speech Celebration, U.S. Senate
      • Some Congressional Testimonies
      • 9/2010: SPEECH Act Celebration
  • Economic warfare
    • The Impact of Purposeful Interference on U.S. Cyber Interests
    • Cyber/Space, EMP Insecurity- Current and Future Threats
    • The Existential EMP Threat
    • New Strategies to Secure U.S. Economy from Cyber Attacks
    • Economic Warfare Subversions July 9, 2012
    • CyberSpace Security – Papers And Articles
    • Cyber Security
    • Da’esh “lite” North America Islamist – Sources
    • The Muslim Brotherhood and Da’esh “Lite” in North America
  • Support ACD
    • Donate
    • Subscribe
    • Contact
American Center for Democracy

American Center for Democracy

  • facebook
  • twitter
  • youtube
  • linkedin
  • Free Speech
  • U.S. Policy
    • U.S. Foreign Policy
  • Political Islam
    • Canada
    • Hamas
    • Iran
    • Islam
    • Muslim Brotherhood
    • Palestinian
    • United States
  • Narco-Terrorism
  • Middle East Conflicts
    • Iran
    • Israel
  • Global Conflicts
    • China
    • North Korea
    • Russia
    • Ukraine
  • Soros
You are here: Home / 2017 / US Intervention Lets Qatar Off the Hook*

US Intervention Lets Qatar Off the Hook*

July 21, 2017 by Norman A. Bailey*

When Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, and Egypt broke diplomatic relations with Qatar and imposed various sanctions on that minuscule but incredibly wealthy emirate, they presented the Qatari government with thirteen “non-negotiable” demands.The demands were rejected by Qatar, which looked to its various allies for support. Turkey sent assistance and 5000 soldiers to its already existing military base in Qatar. It was not clear if the Turks would fight if the Saudis and Emiratis invaded, but the possibility could not be overlooked. Closing the base was one of the 13 demands.

Iran, which shares the deposits of natural gas which is the basis for Qatar’s immense wealth, denounced the coalition’s actions and sent assistance, but Iranian military intervention in any military confrontation was rendered unlikely due to the dismal performance of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Quds Force in Syria.

By far the most important ally of the Qatari regime, however, is the US Department of Defense, backed up by the State Department, which together worked ceaselessly to pressure the coalition partners to modify their demands. This despite the long-standing Qatari support for and financing of terrorist organizations in the Middle East, and its friendly relations with Iran. The reason for this attitude, in contradiction to President Trump’s support for the coalition action, is the US air base in Qatar, which the Department of Defense considers strategically vital for its operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria.

And it worked. The coalition partners just canceled the thirteen demands and replaced them with six “principles.” All mention of Iran, the Turkish base and al-Jazeera was eliminated. The principles all refer to ceasing Qatari support for terrorist groups. It should be noted that Qatar previously agreed to do that when under Saudi and Emirati pressure the then emir abdicated and was replaced by his son. Those promises were soon proven to be worthless, as Qatari support for terrorism continued, leading up to the current crisis.

This is a major and humiliating climb-down for the four regional powers. The so-called “principles” are not even declared to be non-negotiable. There can be little doubt that it is due primarily to US pressure, coupled with the possibility of Turkish military support for the Qatari regime. It is also a major defeat for Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia, whose idea the confrontation was and whose prestige is on the line.

Military intervention in Qatar was never more than an empty threat, not only because of the Turks and Americans but also because the Saudi armed forces are bogged down in Yemen, with no resolution in sight. Stay tuned for major convulsions as a result of this hasty, ill-conceived and worse-executed measure.

 

* Norman A. Bailey, Ph.D., is Professor of Economics and National Security, The National Security Studies Center, University of Haifa, and Adjunct Professor of Economic Statecraft, The Institute of World Politics, Washington, DC. He was formerly with the US National Security Council and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

* This commentary titled: “US support lets Qatar off the hook” was published by Globes [online], on July 20, 2017

Filed Under: 2017, al Jazeera, Baharain, Egypt, Iran, Muslim Brotherhood, Qatar, Sanctions, Saudi Arabia, State Department, Turkey, U.S., UAE

Primary Sidebar

ORDER THE SOROS AGENDA ...
Buy The Soros Agenda

Search ACD

Categories

The Soros Agenda

g. soros

Soros: The Man Who Would Be Kingmaker, Part I

Rachel Ehrenfeld & Shawn Macomber

Soros: The Man Who Would Be Kingmaker, Part II

Soros: The Man Who Would be Kingmaker, Part III

Soros: The Man Who Would be Kingmaker, Part IV

Spotlight

quote by j.woolsey obama signing Rachel's law chemical terrorism transportation terrorism nuclear threats on the rise islamist incitement winning the cyberwar gps concepts and misconceptions libel tourism

Tags

antisemitism Caliphate Canada capital punishment China Christians Daniel Haqiqatjou Dawah Disinformation genocide Hamas Iran ISIS Islam Islamic Party of Ontario Islamic Relief Canada Islamization Islamophobia Israel J. Millard Burr Jews jihad Justin Trudeau LGBT liberalism Liberal Party Muslim Brotherhood Muslims NCCM Norman Bailey Ontario Palestine Political Islam Quran Russia Salaheddin Islamic Centre Saudi Arabia Sharia Sol W. Sanders SOROS Syria Terrorism Toronto US women's rights

Footer

About ACD

ACD is a New York-based 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, which monitors and exposes the enemies of freedom and their modus operandi, and explores pragmatic ways to counteract their methods.

Endorsements

"The ACD/EWI ability to predict future threats is second to none"

- R. James Woolsey, former Director of Central Intelligence

- - - More Endorsements - - -

Follow ACD!

  • facebook
  • twitter
  • youtube
  • linkedin

Copyright © 2023 | The American Center for Democracy is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Your contribution is tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law.