Qatar

Countrynation state

Qatar  link () Sourcewatch
Location	Persian Gulf, Middle East, Asia
Type	nation state
Oil rich, gas richer! Huge arms importer in the Persian Gulf.

Fossil fuel reserves

Qatar has the 13th largest oil reserves and the 3^rd largest gas reserves of any nation state, about 13% of total global reserves.

Arms Imports

Qatar spent $22.29 billion on weapons from US in 2016, more than any other country. In 2022 it reportedly imported more arms than any other nation, including Ukraine, involved in a military conflict with [[Russia].

Laws

According to UNICEF, Qatar's legal system is a mixture of civil law and Sharia law. Sharia law is applied to family law, inheritance, and several criminal acts (including adultery, robbery, and murder). In some cases, Sharia-based family courts treat a female's testimony as being worth half that of a man.

SDS Deep state focus

File:UKSCLworkfortheUAE2017.png

A British group named Strategic Communication Laboratories was exposed for allegedly trying to destroy the international reputation of Qatar in 2017. The SCL has performed researches for the US Department of State following a no-bid contract amounting to $500,000 in payment.

Using big data scientists that worked for Cambridge Analytica, Stratcom and NATO according to an Integrity Initiative Leak, the Center for Responsible Politics the British division of the SCL group filed a report for $166,500 to the Department of Justice in October 2017 for "a social media campaign to boycott Qatar on behalf of the United Arab Emirates" targeted at "NGOs, foreign diplomats and certain reporters" including some present at the 72th of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City.. The SCL Group was dissolved following the public outrage over Cambridge Analytica and their (mis)use of Facebook data.

File:2016 US weapons exports.jpg

Economic and Cultural diplomacy

Qatar is host to Al Jazeera, a media company, with a big reputation in and outside the Arabian Peninsula.

Saudi Arabian-US Pressure

Watch on YouTube

The Qatar Blockade - Al Jazeera – 27 November 2019.

The increased influence of Qatar and its role during the Arab Spring, especially in Bahrain, clashed it with the long term goals of Saudi Arabia, The United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain. In 2017, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain cut off diplomatic relations with Qatar, citing the country's alleged support of groups they considered to be extremist. A trend appeared where the US and countries were competing with each other to sponsor militant groups throughout the Arab World, with the one hypocritical accusing the other of doing it.

This has resulted in increased Qatari economic and military ties with Turkey and Iran. In 2017, the US-aligned countries tried to shut down Al Jazeera from broadcasting to the world.

Sporting Events

In the 2020s, Qatar became the face of criticism, being accused of trying to divert attention from their increasing political influence of the Asian continent, in particular regarding the 2022 FIFA World Cup, with a temperament as if the United States was not trying to do the same hosting the World Cup 4 years later.