Foreign Policy in Focus.
Qatar, home to only 225,000 natives and 1.7 million foreign workers,
has emerged as an influential regional actor in recent years. Emir
Shaikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani has ruled Qatar since 1995, when he
replaced his father in a bloodless palace coup, and has pursued an
ambitious foreign policy for his statelet. Natural resource wealth,
ownership of Al Jazeera, and a carefully constructed web of foreign
alliances have allowed Doha to project itself throughout the Middle
East.
The nature of Qatar’s foreign policy is the subject of some debate. Certain analysts
contend that Qatar conducts a foreign policy uninfluenced by any
ideology and that its only concerns relate to geopolitical gains. Doha,
they say, lacks a regional vision and is not guided by any loyalties or
principles. However, others
posit that Qatar’s foreign policy is guided by a form of Sunni Islamist
ideology and actively seeks to empower its followers throughout the
Muslim world.
The truth may lie somewhere in between. But as Qatar continues its
delicate balancing act, it is increasingly evident that Doha’s interests
will not always align with those of Washington.
