TINY QATAR SLAPS BULLY SAUDI ARABIA IN THE FACE

Tiny Qatar with a population of 250,000 has given Saudi Arabia (population 25 million) a tight slap in the face. 

About two weeks ago Saudi Arabia imposed a blockade on Qatar. That blockade, just like Saudi Arabia's really stupid aggression against Yemen, is not going anywhere. 

Do read my comments at the end. 

Here is some background to the "real relationship" between Saudi Arabia and Qatar.   This is derived from Middle East sources.

This is interesting folks.  This is another part of the Arab world that is about to go up in flames;

SECRETS OF THE RIFT  BETWEEN SAUDI ARABIA AND TINY QATAR

those who are capable of independent thinking

the only ones addressed by Allah in the holy Qur'an

the only humans who can comprehend logic and revelations. 

we now live in a clime where alternative view is a crime. 

Saudi policy constitutes great jeopardy to future of Muslim Ummah

security of Makkah, Madina in doubt

Qataris of global relevance just recently

They are Sunnis like Saudis

Al-Thani ruling family of Qatar are Bedouins who fought Saud family

before Lawrence of Arabia made Al-Saud rulers of Mecca
 

ruling family of Qatar from Al-Thani dynasty of Banu Tamim clan

one of most influential Arab tribes of peninsula. 

Qatar gained independence in 1971

Saudi already at height of oil wealth

Qataris cuddled up to powerful Saudi King Faisal

Faisal showered them with wealth, political goodwill, advisers

help newly urbanized Bedouin set up modern Qatar with Saudi funds

Qatar became politically subservient to Saudi benefactor 

subservience waned after huge gas discovery in 1990s

Qatar no longer need Saudi money

chart their own course, without consulting Riyadh

project their  own country as modern

FIFA World Cup in 2022, for example.

Saudi not comfortable with Qatar's audacity

especially in diplomatic manoevouring and loyalty

• one time loyal boy now compete with us
• working against our wish 
• sharing khubz and dates with our enemies. 
• repugnant reign of little Tamim
• King Salman doesn’t go well with Sheikh Tamim and father
• see them as too ambitious and liberal 
  

since new emir, Shaykh Tamim rose to power in 2013 at age 36

interacts with Salman as political equal, rather than elderly “uncle” 

King Salman older than 36 yr old Tamim's father

36 yr old Tamim refused Saudi advice on Iran and Muslim Brotherhood

also refused Saudi request to expel Yusuf al-Qaradawi

Qardawy living in Qatar since 1961

Why break ties with Iran?

Iran provides growth, other economic advantages

rare with any Arab country including Saudi 

thoughts shared by Kuwait, Oman, distant Pakistan.

Oman always distanced itself from Saudi 

Sultan Qaboos avoided Riyadh summit with Trump

Oman also stayed out of Saudi war in Yemen 

kept open ties with Iran. 

Saudi's relation with Pakistan greatly affected since war in Yemen

Pakistan refused to join despite repeated lobby from Saudi 

Pakistan parliament voted to keep out of senseless genocide. 

Pakistan is Muslim world's biggest military power 

only Muslim country with nuclear weapons. 

main problem for Saudis is Qatar’s sympathy for Muslim  Brotherhood

Saudi expelled Brotherhood when they criticized Saudi support for Desert Storm

Qatar however picked them up 

used Muslim Brotherhood to influence Arab world

Saudi always agitated at mention of Muslim Brotherhood 

Brotherhood has capability to seize power at any slight opportunity 

Muslim Brotherhood's :

• political awareness
• educational qualifications
• economic capability
• professional sophistication
• social exposure 

stand out in the Arab world. 

Hence, Saudis guard throne jealously!

Will Qatar succumb to Saudi pressure and send Qaradawy packing? 

Will Qatar withdraw support for Muslim Brotherhood ? 

Will Qatar adjust its foreign policy? 

Qaradawy arrived in Doha in 1961 as fugitive

one year after Ahmad Bin Ali Al-Thani stepped on throne

Qaradawy became bosom friend of heir to throne Hamad Al-Thani

era of mass persecution of Brotherhood in Egypt. 

Qaradawy teaching at Qatar University's faculty of Shari'ah. 

June 1995 Hamad Thani dethroned by his son KhaleefahThani

with support of Saudi and Kuwait, when Hamad was away in Switz.

new emir suspicious of Qaradawy, especially when he visited father in exile. 

arrested Qardawy on his return at airport in Doha. 

new emir Khalifah Thani subservient to Saudi 

after discovering "intellectual value" of Qaradawy he reconciled 

also opened palace' gate to Qaradawy 

in his 60s in June 2013, stepped down in favour of 36 yr old son Tamim 

Tamim Al-Thani loyal student of Qaradawy 

political evolution of tiny Qatar,  relationship with Saudi 

can understand Saudi demand for total dismantling of Qatar

That is the history of tiny Qatar and giant Saudi Arabia. 

Now here is the news story on the Saudi blockade against Qatar :

draconian deadline by Saudi on Qatar failed 

Saudi now extended deadline

In battle of nerves, Saudi blinked first.

Saudi over-reached showdown with Qatar

Qatar proving to be no push-over.

blockade not harming Qatar 

food, water and goods from Turkey and Iran.

Saudi imposed deadline two weeks ago 

Qatar would not acquiesce to demands

demands included :

• ceasing all diplomatic ties with Iran
• expelling Turkish troops 
• financial reparations
• closing down Al Jazeera news 

demands show original claim over terror links was disingenuous

it is all about cowing Qatar into submission under Saudi diktat.

Saudi economy dire straits from 2 yr disastrous war in Yemen

Saudi making power-grab to seize Qatari wealth.

Saudis over-stretched

hypocritical terror claims fooling no-one 

Russia, Europe undermining Saudi diktat on Qatar. 

Saudi axis increasingly untenable

Rex Tillerson trying to cool things down

Even Trump begun to mediate 

Saudi gambit a huge miscalculation. 

Qatar has intn'l leverage, financial resources to withstand pressure. 

After  hollow deadline – Saudis lose major political capital.

Qataris will turn the tables on Saudi rivals.

Al Jazeera step up coverage on internal problems in Saudi

Al Jazeera has enormous following in Arab region 

Saudi are hostile to Al Jazeera

news focus on repression in Saudi 

exposed to greater backlash on streets

Qatar covertly sponsor dissident groups in Saudi 

Saudi vulnerable to internal instability

Qataris aware of fissures in Saudi which they can exploit.

Saudi Arabia artificial creation under British Empire. 

House of Saud established through bloodbath 

tribal leader Ibn Saud formed “kingdom” in 1932 by massacre

British-orchestrated power grab by Saud tribe and Wahhabi 

conquer rivals from Hejaz, Nedj, Asir and eastern Qatif. 

Qatif continues to be hotbed of dissent against Saud 

virtual civil war in Qatif, deploying artillery and helicopter gunships 

House of Saud comprises 2,000 “princes”, inner circle

inner circle only 0.01 % of population of 20 million. 

power structure inherently unstable. 

instability worse with elevation of 31 yr Mohammed as Crown Prince
former Crown Prince Mohamed Nayef under house arrest

fear of counter-coup

inside and outside House of Saud rivalries, vendettas over bloody past

knives are out for new Crown Prince Mohd bin Salman

arrogant, reckless, undeserving of unprecedented promotion

left many potential heirs to Saudi throne out in cold

Crown Prince blamed for dragging Saudi into Yemeni quagmire

burgeoning cost ruinous, social discontent among Saudis.

Crown Prince  main instigator of blockade on Qatar

blockade another fiasco infuriating Arabs across region 

families torn apart and livelihoods upended

Qataris emerging unbowed, confident. 

to seek revenge on Saudi

fan embers of discontent

soon burst into rage against creaky House of Saud

My comments : I always wondered, through the 1990s how the various dictatorships and autocracies like Iraq, Iran, Syria, Philippines, Indonesia, Myanmar, North Korea, the many South American countries, the countries in Africa etc will hold out towards the end of the 20th century.  Then also the new 'dictatorships'  in Central Asia (all the stans etc). They are basically autocracies or dictatorships.

One by one, many of the dinosauric dictatorships have disappeared. There are so many more "democratic" countries in the world today. Indonesia and the Philippines are remarkable. I believe the Philippines will become a fantastic country someday.  Indonesia too is well on its way, if they can remain peaceful for the next 50 years or so. 

Then you have the odd balls. The dinosaurs. The 'kingdoms' of the Middle East are classic cases. Will Jordan's monarchy last ? What about Saudi Arabia? Or Kuwait,  Qatar and the UAE? Iran? North Korea? These are all oddballs.

There is something really huge, insurmountable and unbelievably powerful impacting all these 'dinosaur' countries : modernisation, education and the craving by ordinary citizens to live as normal, decent and free human beings.  

To wake up in the morning and to live your own life. Not to be threatened or arrested because you saved a stray dog from hunger. People do not want to be stupid. They just want to be normal. 

Then you have the religious satans, the devil worshippers, the corrupt and the basically uncivilised trying to run some of these countries. 

That only hastens their demise. But at what cost. Look at Syria, Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan, Yemen, Algeria or wherever you want to look. 

But listen up folks - they just cannot prevail. As sure as the sun will rise tomorrow these folks cannot prevail.

The only society that can survive and thrive is a free society.  

You mess with the peoples' freedom, you become beggars.