Friday, July 28, 2017

Qatar Blockade Fails : Saudi Arabia Forced To U Turn

Image result for qatar and saudi arabia conflict

US dishes dirt on Saudis to flush Gulf blockade on Qatar.
By  Finian Cunningham
 
(Finian Cunningham (born 1963) is a Master’s graduate in Agricultural Chemistry and worked as a scientific editor for the Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge)

Saudi Arabia made sudden U-turn on Qatar blockade. 
new list of six watered-down “principles of agreement” issued. 
ultimatum to shutter Al Jazeera no longer on list.

a bad week for Saudis in US media. 
slew of embarrassing stories got wide coverage
undermining Saudi Arabia 

Saudi Arabia capitulated in standoff with Qatar.
 
Qatar blockade

row between Qatar and Saudi Arabia worst flare up among oil monarchies 
All of the energy-rich sheikhdoms are American client regimes. 
prolonged rift posing danger to American strategic interests in region.

Saudi Arabia accused Qatar of “supporting terrorism”,  too friendly with Iran
Qatar accused of meddling in internal affairs of Arab neighbors, inciting instability.

Saudi blockade imposed 13 demands, deadline June 23 
Qataris simply ignored ultimatum.

One of the demands : to shutter Al Jazeera TV
betrayed despotic nature of Saudi Arabia 

standoff acutely discomfiting for Washington
association with despotic (Saudis) under sharp focus 

US rely on Qatar for main military base serving Middle East. 
American Central Command HQ in Qatar 
al Udeid airbase, 10,000 troops stationed, hub for US air strikes in Iraq, Syria
coordinating center - Afghanistan to Yemen.

America’s position predicated on unity between Sunni kingdoms. 
At stake is US military projection, global petrodollar monetary system 

US media cranked up damaging stories on Saudi Arabia 

1.  US media played up story on "skirt arrest"
  • prominent coverage on arrest of young Saudi woman for wearing skirt. 
  • US media went big on story. 
  • young lady promptly released from custody without charge.



                                                "I Kill You" - Saved by her hemline.


2.   Story of Saudi student facing beheading 
  • participated in anti-government protests. 
  • Trump being implored to intervene 

3.  Another juicy read was palace intrigue in House of Saud
  • ouster of Crown Prince in soft coup 
  • Mohammed bin Nayef  under house arrest to prevent counter-coup
  • NY Times relied on CIA,  net effect to undermine Saudis

4. Biggest story was UAE hacking fake news in Qatar 
  • given prominence by Washington Post
  • US intelligence backed Qatar in row with Saudi 
  • US intel said Qatar News Agency (QNA) hacked by UAE on May 24
  • which sparked the whole stand-off in the first place.
UAE planted fake news on QNA site that the :
  • Qatari ruler praised Iran as “Islamic power” 
  • voiced support for Hamas. 
which caused Saudis to imposed blockade on Qatar 
issued demands, notably shut-down of Al Jazeera.

following these bad news stories in US media,  impasse set for resolution.
Saudi made sudden U-turn on Qatar. 
new list of 6 watered-down “principles of agreement” issued. 
ultimatum to shut down Al Jazeera no longer on list.

dishing dirt on Saudis allowed US to flush Persian Gulf blockage.

My comments :  Its not that easy.  Among the camel shaggers, once insults are traded, the feuds will drag on for longer.

The Qatar-Saudi feud is a little more mundane (dull). It also involves questions on legitimacy. Legitimacy of the Saud clan to the throne of the Wahhabi religion. Ouch!

The Qatari sheikh claims to be the more "rightful" heir of Ibn Abdul Wahhab the founder of satanic Wahhabism.

Here is some Arab mud slinging :

"Qatar's ruling al-Thani family traces its history to Najd, the central and northern part of Saudi Arabia where Ibn Abd al-Wahhab was from, but it is not clear whether there is a direct family link to him.

the statement referred to "the emir of one of the Gulf states" who had built a mosque named after Ibn Abd al-Wahhab, claiming that the cleric was his great grandfather. Qatar's state mosque, opened in 2011, is known as the Sheikh Mohammed ibn Abd al-Wahhab mosque."

Recall Lawrence of Arabia saying (in 1949) that the Arabs will always be "a little people, a silly people, greedy, barbarous and cruel'.

Here is the movie clip :



Link : https://youtu.be/4gMt1PBC5BU

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