US Close To Declaring Qatar A Major Non-NATO Ally

FILE PHOTO: U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo welcomes Qatar's Deputy Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani to launch the third annual U.S.-Qatar Strategic Dialogue at the State Department in Washington, U.S., September 14, 2020. REUTERS

Reuters: U.S. hopes to name Qatar as major non-NATO ally, official says

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States hopes to move forward with naming Qatar as a major non-NATO ally, a status that provides foreign nations with benefits in defense trade and security cooperation, a senior U.S. official said on Thursday.

“We’re going to move ahead, we hope, with designating Qatar a major non-NATO ally,” Timothy Lenderking, the U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state for Arabian Gulf affairs, told reporters in a conference call.

U.S. and Qatari officials, including U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Qatar Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, met in Washington earlier this week.

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WNU Editor: Both countries have tight political, economic, and military ties. This non-NATO ally designation will just be a recognition of that.

More News On Reports That The US Is Close To Declaring Qatar A Major Non-NATO Ally

US hopes to name Qatar as major non-NATO ally: Official -- Al Jazeera
US floats idea of upgrading Qatar to 'non-NATO ally' -- Al Monitor
US Close To Declaring Qatar Major Non-NATO Ally, Deepening Military Ties -- Zero Hedge

U.S. Suspends Military Exercises With Gulf Countries Over Qatar Crisis

US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis (C) and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg arrive at the Al Udeid US military base in Qatar on September 28, 2017. Thomas Watkins / AFP

Middle East Monitor: US suspends military exercises with Gulf countries

The US has suspended military exercises which have are held annually with the participation of its Gulf Arab allies, Associated Press (AP) reported today.

The US Central Command, Colonel John Thomas, announced that the decision was made in an effort to rebuke the Arab countries entangled in a months-long diplomatic spat with Qatar, which was said to have eroded counterterrorism cooperation in the region.

He noted that the Pentagon aims to signal to the Gulf countries that the US military seeks to work together with other nations in the region.

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More News On The U.S. Suspending Military Exercises With Gulf Countries Over The Qatar Crisis

U.S. military says 'opting out' of some exercises following Gulf rift -- Reuters
U.S. Military Halts Exercises Over Qatar Crisis -- RCD
US Suspends Military Exercises With Gulf Allies Over Qatar Spat -- Wall Street Journal
US halts some military exercises over Qatar crisis -- The Hill
US halts military exercises over Qatar crisis -- The National
Qatar Spat Spurs US Military to Cease Some Joint War Games -- Sputnik

Qatar Wants The U.S. To Intervene In The Gulf Crisis And Urge The Arab States To Lift Their Blockade

Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani meets with U.S. President Donald Trump in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in May. Photo by Jonathan Ernst/Reuters

The Hill: Qatar urges Trump to intervene in Gulf crisis

As the diplomatic crisis in the Gulf nears its first full month, Qatari officials are urging the White House to exert its considerable influence on the nations that have imposed a blockade on the tiny peninsular state.

Qatar is asking the U.S. to pressure Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Egypt and Bahrain to end the isolation that started June 5, when the countries abruptly cut diplomatic ties and closed all land, air and sea borders with the Gulf state.

Several ideas floated by Qatar include placing a hold on weapons deals and halting other contracts signed between the U.S. and those countries.

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WNU Editor: So .... Qatar wants the U.S. to step in and solve their issues and problems with their neighbours .... even when the U.S. said only two days ago that this is an issue solely between Qatar and its neighbours .... White House dubs Gulf crisis 'a family issue' (AFP). Here is an easy prediction .... the U.S. is not going to get involved.

Pentagon Agrees To Sell 36 F-15s To Qatar In A $12 Billion Deal

An F-15E Strike Eagle takes off. U.S. AIR FORCE, SENIOR AIRMAN THOMAS SPANGLER

Bloomberg: Qatar Signs $12 Billion Deal for U.S. F-15 Jets Amid Gulf Crisis

* Contract comes as Qatar seeks easing of Saudi-led embargo
* Decision is latest in string of mixed messages from the U.S.

Qatar will sign a deal to buy as many as 36 F-15 jets from the U.S. as the two countries navigate tensions over President Donald Trump’s backing for a Saudi-led coalition’s move to isolate the country for supporting terrorism.

Qatari Defense Minister Khalid Al-Attiyah and his U.S. counterpart, Jim Mattis, completed the $12 billion agreement on Wednesday in Washington, according to the Pentagon.

The sale “will give Qatar a state of the art capability and increase security cooperation and interoperability between the United States and Qatar,” the Defense Department said in a statement.

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WNU Editor: Talk about giving mixed signals as the crisis between Qatar and its neighbourscontinues. On a side note, this was suppose to be a $21 billion deal .... US-Qatar fighter jet sale worth $21B in middle of diplomatic crisis (Defense News)

Update: No kidding .... US' Mattis: Qatar blockade 'very complex situation' (Al Jazeera).

U.S. Defense Secretary Mattis: Qatar Situation 'Difficult'

VOA: Mattis Describes Qatar Situation as 'Difficult'

PENTAGON — U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis described the diplomatic spat between Qatar and several other American allies in the Middle East as a “complex situation” that the United States needed to help solve.

“I believe that (Qatar’s) Prince Thani inherited a difficult, very tough situation, and he’s trying to turn the society in the right direction,” Mattis told lawmakers at a House Armed Services Committee hearing late Monday. “But we all agree that funding of any kind of terrorist group is inimical to all of our interest.”

Mattis said President Donald Trump was focused on stopping all terrorist funding, including what he called “grey funding.”

“It’s not black and white; it goes into some kind of nebulous area,” he said.

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More News On U.S. Defense Secretary Mattis' Remarks that The Qatar Situation Is 'Difficult'

Blockade of Qatar a 'Very Complex Situation': Mattis -- US News and World Report/Reuters
US' Mattis: Qatar blockade 'very complex situation' -- Al Jazeera
Mattis: Impact of Qatar blockade on US operations 'very complex' -- Stars and Stripes
Mattis: Blockade of Qatar a ‘very complex situation’ -- Middle East Monitor

Qatar Has Hired Former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft To Defend Against Terrorism Accusatons

Former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft speaking to the National Rifle Association's 'Celebration of American Values Conference' in Washington, September 21, 2007. REUTERS/Larry Downing

RFE: Qatar Hires Former U.S. Attorney General To Rebut Terrorism Allegations

The government of Qatar has hired former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft to help the country challenge accusations from its Arab neighbors and U.S. President Donald Trump that it supports terrorism.

Qatar will pay the Ashcroft Law Firm $2.5 million for 90 days of work as the country seeks to confirm its efforts to fight global terrorism and comply with financial regulations including U.S. Treasury rules.

The revelations about the hiring of Ashcroft's law firm were contained in a filing with the U.S. Justice Department that was made on June 9 in accordance with the Foreign Agents Registration Act.

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Update #1: Singled Out by Trump, Qatar Hires Former Top U.S. Law Man -- Bloomberg
Update #2: Qatar, accused of supporting terrorism, hires ex-U.S. attorney general (Reuters)
Update #3: Qatar Will Pay John Ashcroft $2.5 Million To Defend Against Terrorism Accusations -- Zero Hedge

WNU Editor: $2.5 million to former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft to influence U.S. foreign policy in regards to Qatar. I wish him (and Qatar) luck.

Pentagon: The Qatar Crisis Is Affecting Military Operations

This April 9, 2016, photo shows a U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bomber arriving at Al-Udeid Air Base, Qatar, which holds the forward headquarters of Central Command and hosts some 10,000 American troops. REUTERS

Reuters: Blockade against Qatar 'hindering' planning for long-term operation: Pentagon

A blockade against Qatar by Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states was not affecting current operations against Islamic State, but was "hindering" the ability to plan for long-term operations, the Pentagon said on Friday.

"While current operations from Al Udeid Air Base have not been interrupted or curtailed, the evolving situation is hindering our ability to plan for longer-term military operations," Captain Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman, said in a statement.

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WNU Editor: A slight deviation on what the Pentagon was saying 4 days ago .... Top U.S. Officials Say The Rift Between Qatar And Other Arab States Will Not Impact The War Against The Islamic State (June 5, 2017).

President Trump: Tells Qatar To Stop Funding Terrorism

NBC: Trump Calls on Qatar to Cease Funding Terror

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Friday accused Qatar of being a "funder of terrorism at a very high level," issuing a warning that the country must "do more" to combat terror.

Just an hour earlier, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called on Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and other Gulf nations to ease the blockade on Qatar, though Tillerson also pressed Qatar to "do more" to fight terrorism.

"The emir of Qatar has made progress in halting financial support and expelling terrorist elements from his country," Tillerson said. "But he must do more and he must do more quickly."

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WNU Editor: The US State Department and the Pentagon are trying to push a different path on Qatar .... a search for reconciliation and easing of tensions because they know the consequences on what may happen if this blows-up. But the problem with this approach is that Qatar .... and other Gulf states .... have been turning a blind eye when it comes to terror financing for years .... and something has to be done. Is Qatar being signalled out while the worst practitioner of this type of financing is not (Saudi Arabia) .... definitely. But this is the first time that real hard action is being imposed on a state that does this sort of thing .... and President Trump is right to tell Qatar to stop. Are these mixed messages coming from the U.S. government a bad thing .... definitely. But considering how fast this crisis has evolved in the past week .... not surprising. Here is an easy prediction .... the Pentagon and the State Department are going to fall-in line with the White House's position when it comes to Qatar.

More News On President Trump Telling Qatar To Stop Funding Terrorism

Trump accuses Qatar, Mideast host to U.S. troops, of funding terror -- CBS/AP
Trump: Qatar must stop funding terrorism -- CNN
Donald Trump accuses Qatar of funding terrorism 'at very high level' -- The Independent
Gulf crisis: Trump escalates row by accusing Qatar of sponsoring terror -- The Guardian
Trump again criticizes Qatar as his aides scramble to head off crisis with the U.S. ally -- L.A. Times
Trump blasts Qatar hours after Tillerson urges end to blockade -- The Hill
Trump seems to undercut Tillerson’s remarks on Qatar -- Washington Post
Tillerson pushes for reconciliation as Trump slams Qatar on funding terror -- USA Today
Team Trump just can’t get its story straight on Qatar -- VICE News

The Military Implications Of The Qatar Crisis On U.S. Operations

This April 9, 2016, photo shows a U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bomber arriving at Al-Udeid Air Base, Qatar, which holds the forward headquarters of Central Command and hosts some 10,000 American troops. REUTERS

David Des Roches, War on the Rocks: A Base is More than Buildings: The Military Implications of the Qatar Crisis

The Gulf Cooperation Council is a military alliance that aspires to be a Middle Eastern NATO, but lately it looks more like a fraternity expelling a chronically misbehaving brother. Since Donald Trump departed Riyadh with a strong message of solidarity and support from most Sunni Muslim countries, the core alliance of the U.S. regional defense strategy has imploded. The Gulf Cooperation Council is now in disarray: Three of six members have cut ties with Qatar and Saudi Arabia has sealed Qatar’s all important land border.

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WNU Editor: I suspect that no one in the Pentagon is happy to see these developments unfold as they are right now.

More News On The Military Implications Of The Qatar Crisis On U.S. Operations

Qatar downplays reports military on 'high alert' as a diplomatic row with Gulf neighbours continues -- New Arab
Pentagon continues operations at key Mideast air base despite Qatar’s rift with Arab neighbors -- Washington Times
U.S. military says no plans to change posture in Qatar -- CBS/AP
US military: No plans to change our posture in Qatar -- Al Jazeera
The Pentagon Doesn’t Expect Qatar To Revoke Access To A Base That Hosts 10,000 US Troops -- Buzzfeed
U.S. military praises Qatar, despite Trump tweet -- Reuters
Trump reverses course in Qatar call -- CNN
For Qataris, a U.S. air base is best defense against Trump attacks -- Greg Jaffe and Thomas Gibbons-Neff, Washington Post
What's at stake for the U.S. after Qatar hit with diplomatic crisis -- Elizabeth McLaughlin, ABC News
Saudi-Qatari Row Puts The U.S. And Its Military In A Bad Place At A Bad Time -- War Drive
Qatar Crisis Puts Spotlight on U.S. Military Base -- Naharnet
Qatar crisis could have major implications for massive US-UK air base, analysts say -- Middle East Eye

President Trump Praises Saudi Arabia For Their Stance On Qatar

Trump's latest statement contradicts US government's call for a dialogue to solve the Gulf crisis [Reuters]

Washington Post: Trump jumps into worsening dispute between Qatar and powerful bloc of Arab countries

President Trump jumped headlong Tuesday into a fast-worsening dispute between Qatar and a powerful bloc of Arab countries led by Saudi Arabia, posting Twitter messages congratulating the Saudis for cracking down on the neighboring kingdom and himself for sparking the breach over alleged Qatari funding for terrorism.

“During my recent trip to the Middle East, I stated that there can no longer be funding of Radical Ideology,” Trump said in a series of morning tweets. “Leaders pointed to Qatar - look!

“So good to see the Saudi Arabia visit with the King and 50 countries already paying off,” he tweeted. “They said they would take a hard line on funding extremism, and all reference was pointing to Qatar.”

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WNU Editor: In his speech 2 weeks ago in Saudi Arabia, President Trump did tell his hosts and the countries that were present at the Islamic Conference that they must cut the financing of terror groups. Did Saudi Arabia take this as a green light to go after Qatar .... a country that has long been supportive of these groups but is also a country that houses the largest U.S. base in the region .... by the looks of it I will have to say yes. Add to this story that broke out last night .... Report: Saudi Arabia And Its Allies Broke Ties With Qatar Over Doha's $1 Billion Payment To Iran And An Al Qaeda-Linked Group On A Hostage Deal .... I have to wonder if the Qataris were even clued into the possibility that  maybe President Trump's remarks was a warning that was directed at them.

Update: No surprise again .... pundits, commentators, foreign policy analysts .... including some former U.S. diplomats .... are all upset with President Trump .... ignoring the fact that these Gulf coalition problems and tensions were present long before Trump became President ....  Former US ambassadors worry Trump will 'blow up' Gulf coalition with his tweets (Washington Examiner).

Update #2: My prediction on what will happen next .... Qatar is going to acquiesce to what the Saudi-bloc wants. And yes .... this is going to be an embarrassing/humiliating moment for the Qatar Royal family and government.

More News On President Trump's Remarks On The Crisis Between Qatar And Neighbouring Arab States

Trump Takes Credit for Saudi Move Against Qatar, a U.S. Military Partner -- NYT
Trump says Qatar row shows his Middle East trip 'paying off' -- Reuters
Trump takes credit for Arab nations cutting ties with Qatar -- NYPost
Trump weighs in on Qatar rift with Gulf neighbours -- Al Jazeera
Trump takes credit for Qatar’s rift with Saudi Arabia as American diplomats shudder -- Salon
The Qatar Rift Is the Middle East's 'Trump Effect' in Action -- Ian Bremmer, Time
Trump made a terrible blunder on Qatar in just 3 tweets -- Daniel Larison, The American Conservative

Top U.S. Officials Say The Rift Between Qatar And Other Arab States Will Not Impact The War Against The Islamic State

Image from Think Spatial

The Hill: Mattis, Tillerson: Rift between Qatar, other Arab countries won't affect ISIS fight

U.S. officials are downplaying the growing dissension between Qatar and four other Arab nations, saying the dispute will not affect the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

"I do not expect that this will have any significant impact, if any impact at all, on the unified — the unified fight against terrorism in the region or globally," Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told reporters in Australia on Monday.

Early Monday, Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates announced they were cutting diplomatic ties with Qatar, citing what they say is Qatar’s support for extremist groups and its relations with Iran.

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Previous Post: Egypt, Saudi Arabia, UAE And Bahrain Have Cut All Diplomatic Ties With Qatar. They Are Accusing Qatar Of 'Working With Militias, Supporting Qaeda & ISIS'

WNU Editor: There are 10,000 U.S. troops in Qatar .... it will have an impact.

More News On U.S. Secretaries Mattis And Tillerson Saying The Rift Between Qatar And Other Arab States Will Not Impact The War Against The Islamic State

Tillerson: Dispute between Gulf states and Qatar won't affect counterterrorism -- Politico
U.S. says break with Qatar by some Gulf nations won't affect counter-terrorism -- Reuters
Tillerson urges calm after 5 Arab nations sever diplomatic ties with Qatar -- FOX News
Tillerson: US Calls for Gulf States' Unity Amid Crisis in Relations With Qatar -- Sputnik
Qatar's Gulf spat is quietly becoming Donald Trump's biggest foreign policy headache -- Peter Salisbury, New Statesman
5 Arab States Break Ties With Qatar, Complicating U.S. Coalition-Building -- NYT
Qatar crisis could risk US military presence in Gulf -- Middle East Eye
Where Does the Saudi-Qatar Death Match Leave Trump’s Troops? -- Daily Beast

Are These U.S. Soldiers Disrespecting The Qatari Flag?

Reuters: Qatar summons U.S. envoy over video of soldiers laughing near flag

Qatar, which hosts the largest U.S. air base in the Middle East, summoned the U.S. ambassador on Thursday over an online video of American soldiers possibly showing disrespect for the nation's flag, and the Pentagon expressed its regrets.

The Qatari foreign ministry said it had "summoned the American ambassador ... over a video which was recently circulated on social media. She was asked for an explanation of the contents of that video."

The clip shows two uniformed U.S. soldiers, a man and a woman, speaking into camera and joking in front of a U.S. and a Qatari flag.

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WNU Editor: Oh c'mon .... it's just two soldiers who are having a good time .... and they are not disrespecting the Qatari flag. Another example of political correctness running amok .... from Qatar.

Update: No backbone from the U.S. .... US Ambassador Summoned in Qatar, Apologizes for Online Video (AP).

Qatar Is Permitting The Five Freed Taliban Men To Move Freely In The Country

Five Taliban Militants Traded For Captive Soldier Are Free To Roam Qatar And Will Be Allowed To Return To Afghanistan After A Year - Despite Obama's Promise To Monitor Their Movements -- Daily Mail

* Gulf official said Taliban fighters won't be treated as prisoners while living in Qatar, and no U.S. officials will be tracking them
* It's 'absolutely' possible the prisoners the U.S. released form Guantanamo Bay could rejoin terrorist cells, President Barack Obama said today
* Senator John McCain described the five former Guantanamo Bay inmates as the 'hardest of the hard core' and the 'highest high-risk people'
* Obama suggested that he did not violate federal law by making the trade without congressional approval because his administration consulted with Congress 'for some time' about the possibility
* He also brushed aside questions about Bergdahl's capture by insurgents in 2009, saying the circumstances of his departure from base are irrelevant

Five Taliban prisoners freed in exchange for a kidnapped U.S. soldier will be allowed to move freely in Qatar, according to a senior Gulf official, even as President Barack Obama promised Tuesday that the U.S. will be keeping an eye on the Afghans.

U.S. officials have referred to the release of the Islamist militants as a transfer and said they would be subject to certain restrictions in Qatar.

One of the officials said that would include a minimum one-year ban on them traveling outside of Qatar as well as monitoring of their activities.

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My Comment: No official comment from the White House ....  which tells me volumes. In short .... when it came to doing the details on the exchange .... the White House probably put it on the back-burner.

Update #1: Qatar Allowing Freed Taliban Men To Move Freely In Country: Gulf Official -- Reuters

Update #2: I am putting this report in the "no-kidding" department .... Statistics Suggest Taliban Leaders Freed For Bowe Bergdahl May Remain A Threat -- Time

Update #3: 'They can move around freely,' Gulf official says of 5 freed Taliban commanders -- Long War Journal

Has Qatar Broken Their Agreement With The U.S. To Keep The Five Recently Released Taliban Leaders Under Custody?

BREAKING➙ 5 Gitmo Terrorists Arrive In Qatar “With No Sign They Are – Under Custody” (Video) -- Gateway Pundit

The five Guantanamo detainees released by the Obama administration in exchange for America’s last prisoner of war arrived in Qatar today.
As Brian Ross reported on ABC:

“The terror group is calling their release a major victory. New video posted this morning on an Afghan news website shows the five former detainees arriving in Qatar with no sign they are under any sort of custody or guard.… They received a hero’s welcome.”

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My Comment: Many of the details for this prisoner exchange are secret .... and I suspect they will remain secret for the foreseeable future.

Will Qatar Listen To U.S. Concerns On Arming Syria's Rebels

Qatari ruler Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani (L) with US President Barack Obama at the White House (file photo)

Qatar Is Focus As U.S. Weighs Concerns About Arming Syrian Extremists -- Washington Post

BRUSSELS — When President Obama welcomes the leader of Qatar to the White House on Tuesday, he will doubtless thank the Qataris for hosting a major U.S. air base in the Persian Gulf, and for their help on a wide range of strategic issues from Libya to Afghanistan.

But he is also likely to press Emir Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani to ensure that none of the weapons Qatar is sending to Syrian rebels end up with the Jabhat al-Nusra, which the administration has linked to al-Qaeda, and other Islamic extremist groups fighting against the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Allegations that some Qatari aid is flowing to extremists have been made primarily made by Qatar’s Persian Gulf neighbors, which are rivals for regional influence and which have their own equities in the outcome in Syria. All are friends of the United States, and their rivalry has put the Obama administration in a difficult position as it tries to establish the parameters of its Syria policy.

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More News On Today's U.S. - Qatar Talks

Obama says US, Qatar will work to increase support for Syrian opposition -- Washington Post/AP
Syrian Turmoil Dominates Obama’s Talks With Emir of Qatar -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Obama, Qatari leader discuss Egypt, Syria, other 'very difficult issues' -- Politico
Obama meets with Qatar emir to discuss Syria crisis -- Global Post/AFP
The Emir of Qatar Visits -- Elliott Abrams, Council on Foreign Relations