The Persian Gulf region continues to surprise and keep the entire world community on its toes. Yet again, a dangerous tension in relations between a number of countries and Qatar has developed. Six Arab countries, namely Yemen, Libya, Bahrain, Egypt, UAE, Saudi Arabia and the Republic of Maldives, have announced their severance of diplomatic relations with…
The diplomatic row around Qatar that is flaring up into something more serious caught many in Russia by surprise. Although disсontent with a number of Doha’s activities has been smoldering in the region for a while, it didn’t appear on most Russian experts’ radar screens largely because Russia didn’t expect the rivalry for Gulf Cooperation…
That “Arab NATO” didn’t last very long, did it? The break with Qatar by some of its Arab brethren, including its nearest neighbors, is impressively comprehensive, involving a breach of diplomatic relations and an economic and transportation embargo. It reflects sharp divisions not only within the Arab world but even among the half dozen monarchies…
“It’s difficult to see how things won’t get any worse; it’s going to get a lot worse before it gets any better.” That was the stark warning given to me by a senior official from the Middle East who was sent by his country’s leader to try and mediate between Qatar and Saudi Arabia last…
Experts all across the world are trying to figure out what’s really fueling the Qatari-Saudi Cold War, but the answer is simple – the US. As it’s always prone to do, Washington is masterfully playing a game of divide and conquer in the Mideast, doing the same thing to its Gulf allies as it did…
The UAE’s threat to imprison Qatari supporters for up to 15 years is a grand self-inflicted wound to its international soft power as a “modern” Arab state and wouldn’t have been enacted unless Abu Dhabi was preparing for a prolonged crisis which “justifies” such a totalitarian move. The country has spent years building up its…
