Qatar Politics
SOBHANI, S. ROB
Qatar Politics Could this small Gulf state become America's most important Arab ally? BY S. ROB SOBHANI Doha, Qatar THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION will get no help from most Arab nations in a war...
...But then there's Qatar, the small Persian Gulf state of 700,000 people that's quietly promoting democratic reform and ties to America...
...His wife, Sheikha al-Khalifa, plays a public role, championing environmental issues...
...If Arab countries embrace pluralism and open legitimate and transparent outlets for political expression, this will expose the bankrupt ideology of the ayatollahs in Iran, the Wahhabis in Saudi Arabia, and osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein...
...The Arab League not only opposes an attack, but last week lauded the Iraqis for opening talks with the united Nations about reviving arms inspections...
...Now students are encouraged to study abroad...
...The problems of the Palestinians are a microcosm of the Arab world, and Al Jazeera sheds light on them: authoritarian rule, state-controlled media, lack of economic transparency...
...planes raiding Iraq...
...The Prophet Mohammed has a saying, Ask for education even if it is in China,'" says Hassan Ansari, a leading intellectual and adviser to Sheikh Hamad...
...Adds Ibrahim Helal, the bright young editor in Al Jazeera's newsroom: "For the last 50 years Arab media has been held hostage to the lies and bankrupt ideology of Arab rulers...
...But Qatar is a special case because it is pursuing a primary aim of the Bush administration in the Middle East: democracy...
...Sheikh Hamad has given the green light to develop Qatar's vast natural gas reserves, the third largest in the world (and about six times the size of U.S...
...And despite its joint statement with Iran, Bahrain will help...
...BY S. ROB SOBHANI Doha, Qatar THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION will get no help from most Arab nations in a war against Iraq...
...Since succeeding his father in a bloodless coup five years ago, the amir has started a gradual reformation of all aspects of Qatar's social, economic, and political life...
...The rationale of Sheikh Hamad's drive toward democracy is pragmatic...
...The Saudis won't let American warplanes fly sorties against Iraq from the U.S...
...Sheikh Hamad has instituted a series of reforms unique in the Arab world...
...At the moment, Qatar's al-Udeid Air Base is a launching center for American missions over Afghanistan aimed at routing remnants of Taliban and al Qaeda...
...Americans also use two other bases in Qatar...
...He has abolished the Ministry of Information and ended censorship...
...Both the United States and Israel have complained about biased and inflammatory reports on Al Jazeera, but in the Arab context it is a beacon of truth...
...But Al Jazeera shares at least one viewpoint with President Bush: the need for reform of Palestinian rule in the West Bank and Gaza...
...In fact, some officials in Qatar have suggested that if the Saudis insist American troops leave Prince Sultan Air Base, they would be welcome in Qatar...
...In America, Qatar is best known for its satellite TV station Al Jazeera, whose broadcasts have become famous since September 11...
...Compared with the broadcasts of the radically anti-Semitic and anti-American television stations in Saudi Arabia like Iqraa or the Hezbollah station Al Manaar, those of Al Jazeera are for the most part responsible...
...Kuwait believes "the war against Iraq [in 1990-91] to have never ended," its foreign minister told the London Tele S. Rob Sobhani is an adjunct professor at Georgetown University and president of Caspian Energy Consulting...
...In this case we are asking the United States...
...Qatar is home to the largest pre-positioning of U.S...
...And Bahrain was pressured by Iran into public opposition to any military action against Iraq...
...According to Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Saud Al Thani, Qatar has enough gas to heat every home in America for 100 years...
...Arafat and his cronies drive Mercedes-Benzes, but Sharon drives a Chevrolet...
...Sheikh Hamad has also put a premium on secular education, a free media, and transparency in dealing with foreign investors...
...For many years Qatar's education system was based solely on the Koran...
...Even Helal says Al Jazeera is biased roughly 30 percent of the time...
...But Qatar's nascent moves in the direction of democracy, with their potential for influencing the Arab world, could be as important in the long term...
...The United States has an enormous stake in the success of Qatar...
...military equipment in the world...
...In Qatar, unlike Saudi Arabia, women are allowed to vote and run for political office...
...At some point, Qatar may allow the United States to be less reliant on Saudi oil...
...once a war to oust Saddam Hussein begins, it will become a home base for U.S...
...Qatar is not entirely alone among Arab nations in its willingness to support a U.S.-led coalition against Iraq...
...The joke in the Al Jazeera newsroom is: "What's the difference between Arafat and Sharon...
...graph last week...
...reserves...
...Those are the words of a senior adviser to the ruler of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani...
...Privately Qatar is already helping in the run-up to military action...
...air base in Saudi Arabia...
...America needs to put pressure on the Arab world to reform if it is to win the war against terrorism...
...In the short run, its aid in rebuilding Afghanistan and support for military action to depose Saddam Hussein are significant...
...For the record, Qatar's foreign minister said during an August visit to Washington that his country opposes an attack on Iraq...
...The goal of Sheikh Hamad in supporting the creation of Al Jazeera was to have a 'free press zone' in the Arab world," says his chief of staff, Sheikh Muhammed bin Fahed Al Thani...
Vol. 8 • September 2002 • No. 1
