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Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and others cutting diplomatic ties to Qatar

So... crash course on Qatar? Like as in, what Qatar is and all that?

First, there's this:


There's also this, from last week: Hackers posing as the emir of Qatar criticized Saudi Arabia and called for increased ties to Iran

And some of us might remember that a few years ago the gulf states withdrew ambassadors from Qatar because Qatar is making a bet on populist movements like the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, which undermines Saudi Arabia's monarchy.

In other news, fake news caused the Saudis to crack down on a country and show them who's daddy.

Oh, by the way, Qatar is the world's largest exporter of liquefied natural gas. In a world where gas is a good bet, would sure be nice to own Qatar... all you gotta do is tell baby-hands that Qatar funds terrorism and then he can scream at the emir just like he embarrassed himself doing in Israel.
 

DogDude

Member
Can't wait for nuclear war but the 2022 World Cup is still played on irradiated glass because well, you have to come through for those bribes
 

Condom

Member
This is crazy, some dude on Twitter said this is part of a strategy of US+Gulfstates in an offensive against Iran?

I'm interested in seeing how Turkey will respond, seems like there is a huge power game going on about who the new leader of the Middle East will be after the terror era.
 

Iolo

Member
And some of us might remember that a few years ago the gulf states withdrew ambassadors from Qatar because Qatar is making a bet on populist movements like the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, which undermines Saudi Arabia's monarchy.

In other news, fake news caused the Saudis to crack down on a country and show them who's daddy.

Finally a link to what happened in 2014. So this seems a little more serious because last time it was just ambassadors withdrawn and now it's a land, sea and air blockade and expulsion of all diplomats and citizens, which kinda sounds like a war brewing
 

ZiZ

Member
I doubt this will result in a war.
And I'm definitely sure there's a lot more to this than we know.
 
Wow, 4 countries at once is pretty crazy.
They're not real countries, just feudal lords sitting over commodities made out of dinosaur residue.

This is crazy, some dude on Twitter said this is part of a strategy of US+Gulfstates in an offensive against Iran?

I'm interested in seeing how Turkey will respond, seems like there is a huge power game going on about who the new leader of the Middle East will be after the terror era.
This has nothing to do with Iran, Qatar isn't stupid enough to invite Iran's influence anymore. But fake news from last week said he did and Riyadh is pissed.
 
First, there's this:



There's also this, from last week: Hackers posing as the emir of Qatar criticized Saudi Arabia and called for increased ties to Iran

And some of us might remember that a few years ago the gulf states withdrew ambassadors from Qatar because Qatar is making a bet on populist movements like the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, which undermines Saudi Arabia's monarchy.

In other news, fake news caused the Saudis to crack down on a country and show them who's daddy.
It wasn't fake news though,

The Qatari Emir gave a speech that was hostile to the neighboring countries and his speech remarks were all over Qatari official media including the television.
Then they changed their mind and said they were "hacked".
 

Iolo

Member
I doubt this will result in a war.
And I'm definitely sure there's a lot more to this than we know.

Probably not but one reason these things don't turn into wars is because of intensive diplomacy by e.g. the U.S. State Department, which lately has turned into Weekend at Tillerson's

Like in the 90s India and Pakistan were this close to nuking each other but the US convinced them not to ... Odds on that happening today?
 
Finally a link to what happened in 2014. So this seems a little more serious because last time it was just ambassadors withdrawn and now it's a land, sea and air blockade and expulsion of all diplomats and citizens, which kinda sounds like a war brewing

Saudi Arabia has an army of 15 million, Qatar has like 100 thousand, probably less. There will not be a war, there will just be an annexation 46 years in the making.
 
It wasn't fake news though,

The Qatari Emir gave a speech that was hostile to the neighboring countries and his speech remarks were all over Qatari official media including the television.
Then they changed their mind and said they were "hacked".

Al Jazeera disagrees with you.

EDIT: Wait, al Jazeera is sponsored by Qatar? never mind lol you really fucked up, emir

DOUBLE EDIT: Okay, the FBI was helping them investigate this two days ago, I think this is actual fake news starting a war.
 

Ether_Snake

安安安安安安安安安安安安安安安
Bet you Trump the negotiator in chief will be asked to negotiate that arms deal price down 40%.
 
Definetely not Qatar

None are good...but I think it's clear who the worst one is. Saudi's use their power and wealth to export one of the most abhorrent ideologies currently practiced. Rich coming from them accusing others of supporting extremists.

None of them, you hope the war begins the destruction of all three regimes and that the proxy conflict between the Shia and Sunni nations ends.

A conventional "victory" would mean little. Just replacing one set of princes for another.

In this situation everyone sucks but I feel like SA edges it out to be just a bit worse.

Well

Let's hope things don't become too volatile.
 
This seems concerning, but the Middle East is super hard to read.
My take is KSA's allies in the region want to quash Muslim Brotherhood once and for all. The terror financing clause was just used as an excuse. Qatar is the lead sponsor of the group. MB is a direct threat to the monarchy of KSA and since Egypt banned it already and labelled it a terrorist group, they dont have a problem with this move. Bahrain and KSA ruling families are distant cousins and are in lockstep with each other in everything. Not sure what UAE wants though. It's one of the most liberal states in the region, relatively speaking.
 

MGrant

Member
Best post in this thread. They're all scumbag regimes, but Qatar holds the keys to some nice stuff the others could divide up between them.

Not looking forward to my fight into Doha next month...if it even happens.

Yeah I think you oughta look at alternative plans.
 

Aki-at

Member
Really not what the region needs right now...

Best post in this thread. They're all scumbag regimes, but Qatar holds the keys to some nice stuff the others could divide up between them.

Not looking forward to my fight into Doha next month...if it even happens.

Going to Dubai for a layover in September but being in the vicinity has me worried too.
 

bobbytkc

ADD New Gen Gamer
Is this a total blockade?

Is UAE for instance preventing ships from leaving Qatar? It looks to me from the map that shipments by sea going in and out of Qatar must pass through the UAE.
 

Yazan

Member
The whole thing is quite complex


Basically Qatar was a satellite state to KSA until the beginning 90s when the son (the father of the current emir) became the emir by deposing his father.

Ever since, Qatar has been trying to create a name and gain influence in the Middle East. Being a country with small area and small population and huge wealth means they can waste money on all crazy stuff. The whole slave labour in Qatar narrative i.e. is quite often lobbied by other in order to ruin their reputation (its always Qatar never the other in media).

Since KSA is the big bro in the region, they demand the other GCC countries to do whatever they want them to do. Qatar is like the screaming little bro that didn't want to listen.

I will travel from UAE through Doha on Friday, let us see what happens.
 

-Plasma Reus-

Service guarantees member status
Yea. No one wants another Syria.
If something like that happened in Saudi arabia, the repercussions would insane.
 
Really not what the region needs right now...



Going to Dubai for a layover in September but being in the vicinity has me worried too.

Don't worry both sides are not interested in war, especially that they are already in Yemen.

They have some demands regarding Qatar stopping supporting the Muslim Brotherhood and such organization either comply or don't.
 

Maz

Member
Is this a total blockade?

Is UAE for instance preventing ships from leaving Qatar? It looks to me from the map that shipments by sea going in and out of Qatar must pass through the UAE.

Qatar is a small island, you can cross the whole country in less than 1hr with a car. Since they only got SA as land connection which seems like it's blocked now. Qatar doesn't need UAE permission for sea shipments, plus I highly doubt Oman/Iran will just chill and do nothing if UAE and SA start blocking ships in the gulf.

Qatar is a desert island, blocking food will result in people starving in less than 3 months. I really want to believe no one wants that or actual war.
 

Maz

Member
Havent seen anything yet, only Etihad has canceled to Doha.

As far as I can tell all ways of travel directly from UAE, Egypt, Bahrain and SA have been stopped. That includes land/sea/air.

Edit: UAE also forbids it's citizens from going to Qatar. This looks really bad
 
And you know who's NOT breaking up with Qatar? FIFA. That godforsaken 2022 Winter World Cup where hundreds of slave-immigrants are going to die building those stadiums is still inexplicably planned to go down. Christ!
 
The whole thing is quite complex


Basically Qatar was a satellite state to KSA until the beginning 90s when the son (the father of the current emir) became the emir by deposing his father.

Ever since, Qatar has been trying to create a name and gain influence in the Middle East. Being a country with small area and small population and huge wealth means they can waste money on all crazy stuff. The whole slave labour in Qatar narrative i.e. is quite often lobbied by other in order to ruin their reputation (its always Qatar never the other in media).

Since KSA is the big bro in the region, they demand the other GCC countries to do whatever they want them to do. Qatar is like the screaming little bro that didn't want to listen.

I will travel from UAE through Doha on Friday, let us see what happens.

In addition, depending on who you ask, Qatar funnels money to three terrorist groups who have it out for the Saudi Royal Family.
 
@maggieNYT
Precisely who will the president turn to during this crisis as a point person?

@ericgeller
Replying to @maggieNYT
Well, there's the Asst Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs...wait, okay, no, but there's the Under Secretary for Political...no...

@ericgeller
Hang on, what about the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Arabian Peninsula Affairs, surely...oh wait, wow, no, okay...


n6rnLdl.gif
 

siddx

Magnificent Eager Mighty Brilliantly Erect Registereduser
Saudi wants a firm grip on the whole region. Qatar has spent the last two decades trying to push them away and be more independent. Qatar and UAE diversifying their economy wasn't just about preparing for a future where oil isn't king, it was also about furthering their independence from Saudi. UAE just isn't ready to tell dad to fuck off. KSA will try to ground Qatar and take his PlayStation away, the whole thing will resolve itself eventually and Qatar will keep drifting away quietly...hopefully.
 
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