Granting Qatar special NATO status risks undermining alliance – analyst
Qatar is working with Turkey to
undermine American interests in the Middle East and should not be given special
status by NATO, Efraim Inbar, president of the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy
and Security, said on Friday.
The Trump administration recently
indicated its desire to designate Qatar as a major non-NATO ally, a status that
would grant the Gulf nation defence and security benefits, including access to
training and equipment.
Such a move would be detrimental to
other U.S. allies in the region, as Qatar has sought to undermine its
pro-Western Arab neighbours through its state-owned news network Al Jazeera and
backing of the Muslim Brotherhood in countries like Egypt, Inbar said in an
article for the Jerusalem Post.
QaQatar is working with Turkey to undermine American interests in the Middle East and should not be given special status by NATO, Efraim Inbar, president of the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security, said on Friday.
The Trump administration recently
indicated its desire to designate Qatar as a major non-NATO ally, a status that
would grant the Gulf nation defence and security benefits, including access to
training and equipment.
Such a move would be detrimental to
other U.S. allies in the region, as Qatar has sought to undermine its
pro-Western Arab neighbours through its state-owned news network Al Jazeera and
backing of the Muslim Brotherhood in countries like Egypt, Inbar said in an
article for the Jerusalem Post.
Qatar’s support for Turkish President
Recep Tayip Erdoğan has also been counter to U.S. interests, Inbar said. Qatar
has emerged as a key ally of the government in Ankara in recent years,
providing Turkey with finance to protect the value of the Turkish lira, as well
as funds for military operations in Libya.
In contrast, relations between NATO
allies Turkey and the United States have been repeatedly strained over a number
of issues, including support for Kurdish fighters in Syria, and the development
of natural gas reserves in the eastern Mediterranean.
Expanding relations between Qatar and NATO
risked exacerbating such tensions within the alliance, Inbar said. “America
needs to be able to distinguish friend from foe”.tar’s support for Turkish President
Recep Tayip Erdoğan has also been counter to U.S. interests, Inbar said. Qatar
has emerged as a key ally of the government in Ankara in recent years,
providing Turkey with finance to protect the value of the Turkish lira, as well
as funds for military operations in Libya.
In contrast, relations between NATO
allies Turkey and the United States have been repeatedly strained over a number
of issues, including support for Kurdish fighters in Syria, and the development
of natural gas reserves in the eastern Mediterranean.
