In stern rebuke of Mideast ally, U.S. raps Qatar on terror funds
President Trump hammered the tiny nation of Qatar, a vital Middle Eastern ally of the United States, for its history of funding terror groups, even as a diplomatic blockade of the gas-rich country by other Arab States is hindering U.S. military operations against ISIS fighters in Iraq and Syria.
Trump, speaking in the White House Rose Garden yesterday, said his concerns about Qatar’s support to terror groups was raised during his meeting weeks ago with Arab and Muslim leaders.
“The time had come to call on Qatar to end its funding — they have to end that funding — and its extremist ideology in terms of funding,” Trump said. “For Qatar, we want you back among the unity of responsible nations.”
Trump expanded the criticism to other unnamed countries suspected of financing terror groups and being hotbeds of extremist ideologies.
“I want to call on all other nations to stop immediately supporting terrorism,” Trump said. “Stop teaching people to kill other people. Stop filling their minds with hate and intolerance. I won’t name other countries, but we are not done solving the problem, but we will solve that problem. Have no choice.”
The extraordinary denunciation of the key U.S. ally seemed to align the White House with the diplomatic blockage on Qatar that kicked off earlier this week by Saudi Arabia, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Libya, Yemen and the Maldives.
But turning up the heat on Qatar so soon after the countries cut off diplomatic ties could imperil the future of the U.S. military’s largest outpost in the Middle East — an air base 20 miles south of the capital Doha that hosts an estimated 11,000 military personnel.
The base is the nerve-center for U.S. air operations for Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan and other Middle East nations.
Speaking from the State Department yesterday, Secretary Rex Tillerson said the blockade of Arab states against Qatar has had led to food shortages and the forced separation of families, and it also is “hindering U.S. military action in the region, and the campaign against ISIS.”
Tillerson, tapped by the White House to mediate the Arab diplomatic crisis, said the emir of Qatar has taken steps to cut back on terrorism financing and has been banishing extremists.
“He must do more,” Tillerson said, “and he must do it more quickly.”
“We call for calm and thoughtful dialogue with clear expectations and accountability among the parties in order to strengthen relationships,” Tillerson said. “It is clear to me based on these conversations that the elements of a solution are available.”