Who knew the Middle East could be so complicated?

How Qatar got Trumped

Qatar Airways.
(Image credit: FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP/Getty Images)

As President Trump might say, who knew the Middle East could be so complicated? Six Arab countries — Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Libya, and Yemen — have severed relations with the tiny, oil-rich Gulf emirate of Qatar. They haven't just recalled ambassadors, Qataris are no longer allowed to travel to those countries, and the Gulf countries are implementing what looks like a blockade. The dispute therefore ranks as pretty serious — in 2014 a similar row merely involved briefly recalling ambassadors.

The official trigger this time was a report by the state-run Qatar News Agency relaying comments by Qatar ruler Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani criticizing mounting anti-Iran sentiment. But obviously there are deeper causes. Qatar supports groups like Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood, and is somewhat friendly with Iran, the Shiite arch-enemy of the Sunni Gulf monarchies.

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Pascal-Emmanuel Gobry

Pascal-Emmanuel Gobry is a writer and fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center. His writing has appeared at Forbes, The Atlantic, First Things, Commentary Magazine, The Daily Beast, The Federalist, Quartz, and other places. He lives in Paris with his beloved wife and daughter.