An opinion piece:
The Real Reason behind Qatar’s Gulf State Freeze Out
Hint: Al Jazeera, Muslim Brotherhood, and the Arab Spring.
By Jason C. Ditz • June 21, 2017
Officially, the narrative on the split among Gulf Arab nations, between Saudi Arabia and the tiny nation of Qatar, has centered around support for terrorism. The reality of the situation is far more nuanced, but that hasn’t stopped President Trump from immediately embracing the Saudi position, attacking the Qatari government for supporting “extremism” in the region.
Yet when we dig deeper into the details underpinning the split between the Saudis and Qatar, we find that the actual rift stems heavily from the Arab Spring, and the Qatari government’s support, both official and unofficial, for groups advocating democratic reform in the Middle East. While the Saudis and the other nations involved in directly in this split are more than comfortable to be overtly hostile to democracy in the Middle East, it is wildly dangerous for the United States to position itself in such a manner.
Understanding the Split
The hostility toward Qatar has its roots in the hostility of other Gulf Arab states, particularly Saudi Arabia, toward al-Jazeera, a highly influential media outlet in the Middle East which is funded heavily by the Qatari royal family, and whose positions often conflict with those of Saudi Arabia, and the rest of the GCC governments.
Continued: http://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/the-real-reason-behind-qatars-gulf-state-freeze-out/
Al-Jazeera actually has some good reporting. OTOH, I've heard things about Qatar for some time. Though, I'd still lean towards what the author is saying.
