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Saudi Arabia and three other Arab nations have severed diplomatic and transport ties with the Gulf state of Qatar, claiming Doha's regional policies fuel extremism and terrorism.
The synchronised attempt to isolate Qatar also includes Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, escalating a simmering dispute over Qatar's support for political Islam and perceptions that Doha is open to closer ties with Saudi Arabia's arch-rival, Iran.
Source: Financial Times
Two weeks ago, the same four countries blocked Qatari news sites, including Al Jazeera. Controversial comments purportedly by Qatari emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani criticising Saudi Arabia appeared on Qatari state media.
Source: BBC News
Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates severed diplomatic ties with Qatar on June 5, Al Arabiya reported, citing state media outlets from the Gulf countries. Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Egypt said they will suspend air and sea travel to Qatar, while Riyadh said it would close overland border crossings with its Gulf neighbor as well. Bahrain gave Qatari diplomats 48 hours to leave, while Saudi Arabia gave Qatari citizens two weeks to leave. Qatar has also reportedly been cut out of the coalition fighting Houthi rebels in Yemen. The breakdown of diplomatic ties stems from tensions over Doha's relationship with Tehran and its alleged support for the Muslim Brotherhood. With a small population and a unitary state centralized around Doha, Qatar lacks the internal ethno-religious tensions and political insecurities of its neighbors.
Source: Stratfor
A group claims it will begin publishing the private emails of the United Arab Emirates ambassador to the United States this weekend, according to a report from The Daily Beast.
"GlobalLeaks" - which does not appear to be related to the WikiLeaks-type website sharing the same name - sent 55 pages of Ambassador Yousef Al Otaiba's emails to the news outlet along with a message saying the group would publish the entire cache this Saturday.
According to the message, the leaked emails will demonstrate "how a small rich country/company used lobbyists to hurt American interests and those of it allies."
Source: The Hill
(Score: 4, Insightful) by Arik on Tuesday June 06 2017, @02:16AM (9 children)
If laughter is the best medicine, who are the best doctors?
(Score: 2) by Jeremiah Cornelius on Tuesday June 06 2017, @03:22AM
It's a huge project. They will dredge up nonsense like Sunni/Shi'a sectarianism, when the issue is global geopolitics - the struggle between USian vassal-states and those establishing alternative power outside the shadow of the Phantom Empire.
You're betting on the pantomime horse...
(Score: 2) by kaszz on Tuesday June 06 2017, @03:51AM (7 children)
So the United States and Israel can't do it because that would be a hot potato. But if the local neighbors do the aggression, then the blame can be misdirected. It will enable the US to disrupt the support for the Assad regime indirectly and undermine Putins influence in Syria. So this seems to be how the attack on Iran scheme will go down? a good fit with the recent arms deal to with Saudi Arabia worth nearly 110 billion US$.
However it might push Iran into Putin and they still have their nuclear weapons program. Add Turkey as an Islamic joker. Seems like a popcorn event?
The idea of middle east with nukes seems like a suicidal scenario for the middle east.
(Score: 3, Informative) by Arik on Tuesday June 06 2017, @02:07PM (6 children)
If you're thinking that's something to be avoided, well, you're waaaaay too late.
Israel went nuclear in '66, probably has enough weapons to make the entire region uninhabited and uninhabitable for a long time, and refuses to even consider signing the NPT. India and Pakistan have them too. What's more, Pakistan and Saudi a long history of coöperation and Saudi at the very least have silos prepared and ready to receive Pakistani nukes (some sources think they're already in place.)
So that genie is well out of the bottle. There are plenty of nukes already in play, and certainly no one is going to give up on them while their neighbors hold them.
If laughter is the best medicine, who are the best doctors?
(Score: 2) by kaszz on Tuesday June 06 2017, @02:50PM (5 children)
Pakistan is a bit away, no substantial report on Saudi Arabia having them, Iran isn't ready and Israel seems to not be that trigger happy. So while there is some small beginnings. There's yet be a race.
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Tuesday June 06 2017, @03:58PM (1 child)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-24823846 [bbc.co.uk]
No, nothing shows that Saudis have nukes, but a betting man would probably bet that they've got 'em.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 06 2017, @08:03PM
Ah ha! But what would Runaway, international man of mystery and foreign policy, bet about this? Inquisitioning minds want to know!
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Arik on Tuesday June 06 2017, @06:50PM (2 children)
A bit away? Really?
A little geography lesson for you. Pakistans westernmost province borders both Iran and the Gulf of Oman.
"no substantial report on Saudi Arabia having them"
The other poster gave you a link you might want to check. As I said, they might not have them, but they're certainly all set to acquire and use them quickly in a pinch.
"Iran isn't ready"
Iran, ironically, appears to be just about the only big player in the region that doesn't already have them and isn't trying to get them. Perhaps because they understand they have no hope to catch up to Israel and even the deterrent effect might be outweighed by the diplomatic disadvantage. Or perhaps they really believe the religious rationale. Maybe it's a little of both.
"Israel seems to not be that trigger happy"
How do you figure that? Israel has started many wars, occupies territory belonging to its neighbors, and *routinely* violates its neighbors sovereignty, for example with the regular intrusions into Lebanese airspace even in the supposed absence of war. Just because they haven't nuked anyone, yet, hardly means they are peaceful.
If laughter is the best medicine, who are the best doctors?
(Score: 2) by kaszz on Wednesday June 07 2017, @06:57AM
Was tired when I wrote it so Pakistan geography came from directly from distorted memory ;)
Israel trigger happiness referred to nuclear trigger happiness. Use of conventional weapons is another ballgame. Most likely because nations know that they are suicide to use.
(Score: 2) by kaszz on Wednesday June 07 2017, @07:08AM
Read the article now. So yes it seems Saudi has a standing order for these weapons. If they get them exported during a time of high tension is another matter.