Will Qatar Listen To U.S. Concerns As They Continue To Arm Syria's Rebels?

Qatari ruler Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani (L) with US President Barack Obama at the White House (file photo)

Qatar Is Focus As U.S. Weighs Concerns About Arming Syrian Extremists -- Washington Post

BRUSSELS — When President Obama welcomes the leader of Qatar to the White House on Tuesday, he will doubtless thank the Qataris for hosting a major U.S. air base in the Persian Gulf, and for their help on a wide range of strategic issues from Libya to Afghanistan.

But he is also likely to press Emir Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani to ensure that none of the weapons Qatar is sending to Syrian rebels end up with the Jabhat al-Nusra, which the administration has linked to al-Qaeda, and other Islamic extremist groups fighting against the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Allegations that some Qatari aid is flowing to extremists have been made primarily made by Qatar’s Persian Gulf neighbors, which are rivals for regional influence and which have their own equities in the outcome in Syria. All are friends of the United States, and their rivalry has put the Obama administration in a difficult position as it tries to establish the parameters of its Syria policy.

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My Comment: The Persian Gulf sheiks are proud, independent, religious, and focused on their security and well-being. To them .... Syrian President Assad and his Iranian/Hezbolah allies are a threat .... and .... while they will listen to U.S. concerns .... I am sure that they will still continue to arm and assist anyone who will support them in the overthrow of the Assad regime .... including working with groups like Jabhat al-Nusra.

AP Analysis: Qatar At Heart Of Mideast `Cold War'

From Tiger.edu

From Yahoo News/AP:

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – During back-to-back summits in recent days, tiny Qatar displayed some big mood swings.

First the Persian Gulf emirate hosted a Gaza crisis conference that included Iran's president and Hamas' leader and became a soapbox to bash America and its Mideast allies. Then three days later in Kuwait, Qatari leaders had lunch with Saudi King Abdullah and gushed about unity with Washington's top Arab partners.

President Barack Obama has inherited the familiar map of Arab-Israeli minefields. But off to the side — sticking like an exclamation point into the Gulf — Qatar could quickly become a quandary for the new White House.

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My Comment: As long as the American al-Udeid air force base remains in Qatar, the government in Qatar will feel safe to do things that will ruffle their neighbors. If the Americans were not present in the country, I doubt very much that they will be doing what they are doing now.