Posted on 07/02/2017 10:25:29 PM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
At center of Qatar crisis, a $1 billion ransom
The crisis over Qatar that is gripping the Middle East hinges on an alleged $1 billion ransom that was reportedly paid to release members of Qatars royal family and others who were kidnapped in Iraq.
That payment appears to be the breaking point in the tense relationship between Qatar and Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and other countries in the region, according to one report earlier this month.
On Tuesday, the State Department said it was mystified that Gulf states had not given reasons for their decision to cut off of land, air and sea transport to Qatar.
"The more time goes by, the more doubt is raised about the actions taken by Saudi Arabia and the UAE, said a State Department spokeswoman.
(Excerpt) Read more at thehill.com ...
Qatar’s always been warm and fuzzy with Iran.... they both rely on the same huge natural gas field [which 2/3 lies in Qatari territory] and Qatar probably gets its oil from a field adjoining Iran’s as well. Since Qatar has the benefit of good relations with the wider world they are able to increase their extraction and stay on the cutting edge of technology while Iran has a harder time keeping up with extraction methods and technology...and that makes Iran a large and snippy neighbor that Qatar feels an economic need to mollify. Follow the money...
Is Qatar Shi’a or Sunni?
90% Sunni, 10% Shia
Very good explanation Piasa. I think that this latest rift with Saudi land, also, is because Qatar is rich, and has a natural gas industry. They look like a tempting target to their Gulf Arab “brothers.”
The Al Thani family, like the Al-Saud family has spent centuries fighting with everyone. The Al-Thanis control Qatar and Qatar wants to balance Saudi ARabia, Turkey and Iran
One way to secure that balancing act is to allow the USA to create a military base in Qatar to meet Iranian threats, and use the Brookings Institution to propagandize the judiciousness of its ruling family.
Thank you, I was just too lazy to find out on my own so I decided to use the knowledge at FR.
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