Is Qatar supporting extremist groups?

Qatar is the richest country in the world, thanks to its vast natural gas reserve and a very small population.

It is one of the states created by the British, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kuwait and Bahrain, when they occupied the Arabian region.

The country hosts the famous Al Jazeera media, the only news agency out of Europe and America that has gained international recognition, competing with established broadcasting stations such as the BBC.

OIL AND NATURAL GAS
The Arab world and, in particular, the Gulf region has remained the only place where the countries are ruled by absolute monarchies, thanks to the Western interests as a result of vast oil and natural gas reserves.

The history of the gulf in the last 100 years portrays a very unstable region though rich.

Another interesting characteristic of the Gulf States is that all the countries have both open and silent border disputes.

RELIGION

Saudi Arabia has a dispute with Yemen, UAE has a silent border conflict with Oman, Kuwait has a border conflict with Iraq (remember the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait?) and Qatar has a border conflict with Saudi Arabia.

Gulf States are divided over the brand of Islam they follow.

Kuwait, Bahrain and Yemen have big and strong Shia populations, with Saudi Arabia being the home of the two holiest mosques.

Saudi believes it is the custodian of Sunni Islam, while Iran is seen as the country propagating the Shia agenda and a source of destabilisation in the region, a view shared by the US.

ECONOMY
In the last 20 years, there have been outbursts of economic activities in the Gulf States and specifically the UAE and Qatar.

The two countries are home to two biggest airlines in the world, Emirates and Qatar Airways.

The cities in these countries are bursting into massive infrastructure development.

High-rise buildings and international financial institutions have moved their regional headquarters there.

Underground, there have been serious sibling rivalries among these monarchies.

MILITARY BASE

Qatar, a tiny rich state, has been trying to be a regional political and security player.

It hosts the biggest US military base in the region, ostensibly to monitor Iran and Iraq.

Qatar manoeuvred to become the host of the 2022 World Cup.

Qatar has been a host and mediator of several warring groups in the Islamic world.

The US is said to be talking to the Taliban indirectly through Qatar for them to accept to join the Kabul government and disown their militant approach.

TRADE DEALS
Qatar, despite its size, has become an influential player in the region to the envy of its giant neighbour, Saudi Arabia.

Qatar has been trying to establish itself all over the world, opening embassies and trade missions.

It is venturing into massive offshore gas investments at the global level.

Recently, Kenya hosted the Emir of Qatar with several bilateral deals being signed.

Qatar is the safe haven to the media, with Al Jazeera being the only mouthpiece of the masses in the region and Islamic world.

AL JAZEERA JOURNALISTS

From Mauritania to Iraq, the citizens believe in Al Jazeera.

Most Al Jazeera journalists have had rough time operating in the draconian Arab states, with Egypt going further by jailing its journalists.

Al Jazeera has exposed massive scandals in the Arab monarchies, including corruption, human rights abuse, and the misbehaviours of the Arab rulers when in Europe.

It has focused on their reckless lifestyles contrary to their portrayal as devout Muslims.

TERRORISM

There has been persistence pressure on Qatar to clip the wings of Al Jazeera by the neighbours and this has been the biggest reason for bitter relations.

It inconceivable that Qatar supports terrorism as alleged by the Gulf countries.

With the biggest US military base in Qatar, American intelligence operatives must be keeping an eye over this country and any extremist activities and support could have been picked up.

The allegations that Qatar supports extremist groups appear suspect and hollow.

Mr Mbarak is a retired military officer and a certified security management consultant. [email protected]