Americans and victims of terrorism deserve an explanation as to why Qatar is a major non-NATO ally, all the more so after its Revolutionary Guard missile stunt, writes mrubin1971.
Major non-NATO ally status should not just be a diplomatic bauble, although that is how Biden’s team treats it. Instead, the designation allows countries preferentially to receive U.S. military hardware and depleted uranium ammunition. Put aside the fact that Qatar outsources most of its security to non-Qataris; even if not, there would be very little reason why the country would ever need the types of military benefits Biden now bestows.
The elevation of Qatar’s status falls within a growing Biden administration pattern of declaring new policies, often for political or personal reasons, without any appreciation for their ramifications. This was the case with Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s delisting of Yemen’s Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization. Blinken appeared not to understand the factual basis for the Houthi designation.
Perhaps ego and naivete motivate the Biden team’s Iran decision: ego because so many within the Biden administration owe their careers to the Iran deal, and naivete because they really believe their power of persuasion trumps the ideology of their adversaries.Unfortunately, the Qatar deal has a whiff of corruption to it: There is no progressive political constituency for Qatar in the way there is for embracing Iran or punishing Saudi Arabia.
Hopefully, this is not their motivating factor. Regardless, Americans and victims of terrorism deserve an explanation as to why Qatar is a major non-NATO ally, all the more so after its Revolutionary Guard missile stunt. If team Biden cannot offer a good answer, it's time to reverse the designation. Michael Rubin is a contributor to the Washington Examiner's Beltway Confidential. He is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.
Ireland Latest News, Ireland Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Biden Calls Putin 'A Butcher' After Pledging 'Sacred Commitment' To Defend NATO MembersBiden is wrapping up a high-stakes trip to Europe in Poland after meeting with NATO and G-7 leaders to keep allies synchronized in opposing Russia's attack on Ukraine.
Read more »
Russia-Ukraine live updates: 'Don't even think' about moving in NATO territory: BidenPres. Biden on Ukraine's resistance of Russia's invasion: 'The brave Ukrainian resistance is a front in a larger fight: for the essential democratic principles that unite all free people... Every generation has had to defeat democracy’s mortal foes.'
Read more »
Biden calls for ‘lockstep’ NATO response to Russia’s Ukraine invasion“Vladimir Putin was counting on being able to divide NATO, but he hasn’t been able to do it,” Biden told Duda.
Read more »
Biden message to Ukraine, NATO allies: Putin ‘cannot remain in power’“For God’s sake, this man cannot remain in power,' Biden said.
Read more »
FNC's Watters: Hearing Hunter Biden 'Will Be Indicted'; Predicts Presidential Pardon, No Biden 2024 BidFriday, FNC host Jesse Watters told his viewers he heard Hunter Biden, son of President Joe Biden, would be indicted. | Clips
Read more »