Qatar’s Wait-And-See Strategy
The severing of diplomatic ties between powerful Gulf Arab states and Qatar has complicated Western efforts to combat ISIS and stabilize the Middle East. But two factors – Qatar’s natural gas wealth, and its complicated relationship with the Trump administration – suggest that the current spat will not be easily resolved.
DOHA – When Gulf Arab powers announced on June 5 that they were severing diplomatic ties with Qatar over its ties to terrorists, the message was clear: get in line with regional policies, or pay the price. Nearly a week later, Qatar appears in no hurry to comply. And it is the incoherence of US President Donald Trump’s foreign policy that is perpetuating the rift.