In early June Saudi Arabia gave Qatar a 24 hours ultimatum to fulfill 10 conditions or face annihilation. Saudi Arabia’s leaders are determined to make Qatar into a subservient satellite of Riyadh, much like the current government in Yemen
Institute for Gulf Affairs Founder and Director Professor Ali al-Ahmed told Sputnik News…
“I project the invasion of Qatar… I have received reports of Saudi military movements near the Qatari border.”
“The Saudis: They are preparing.”
Al-Ahmed warned that a full-scale invasion of Qatar could occur much sooner than anyone anticipated.
“Check on the frequency of bombings in Yemen…A key sign will be if there is a cessation or major reduction in the number of Saudi air strikes being conducted against the rebel forces in Yemen. That would indicate the Saudis are massing their forces for a sudden move against Qatar instead.”
Al-Ahmed further claimed that Trump had signed off on a Saudi invasion of Qatar…“I have it on good authority that Trump has already told the Saudis he would have no objection.”
Yesterday Bloomberg reported that not only had Trump not signed off on a Saudi invasion of Qatar, but that the POTUS prevented such an invasion from taking place.
Zerohedge reports…
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates were “close to taking military action in the early stages of their ongoing dispute with Qatar“, until Donald Trump called the leaders of both countries and warned them to back off; in other words, Trump’s intervention prevented yet another gulf war, which if true will make the U.S. Millitary-Industrial complex very unhappy as Trump’s peace effort likely cost US offense defense companies tens of billions in lost profits.
As Bloomberg writes, confirming reports from early June that Saudi Arabia and Qatar were inches away from war leading to the mobilization of Qatar’s army, Saudi Arabia and the U.A.E., which both have a penchant for using their brand new weapons purchases from the US in the most practical of ways, were looking at ways to remove the Qatari regime, which they accused of sponsoring terrorism and cozying up to Iran. However, Trump told Saudi and U.A.E. leaders that any military action would trigger a crisis across the Middle East that would only benefit the Iranians.
Via Bloomberg…
It wasn’t clear when the conversations took place. The Saudis, backed by the U.A.E. and two other regional allies, broke off diplomatic ties with Qatar in early June, imposed an economic embargo and cut transport links. They’ve since issued multiple demands, including the closure of Qatar-based broadcaster Al Jazeera, that haven’t been met. Qatar denies all the accusations and accuses the Saudis of seeking to dominate smaller neighbors.
Zerohedge reports…
Of course, Saudi Arabia denied that military action was ever considered. “The allegations are entirely incorrect, have already been denied, and amount to nothing more than typically misleading Qatari propaganda”, said a Saudi official source familiar with the matter. At least they didn’t blame Russia.
Separately, Emirati officials have said in the past that the dispute can only be resolved by political, not military, means.
Still, despite avoiding war, the standoff has yet to be resolved, despite efforts by Kuwait to mediate. Trump made a push to settle it this month, after talks in Washington with Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah. He failed.
The U.S. president made a flurry of calls with Gulf leaders, saying the dispute was distracting U.S. allies from forging a united front against Iran.
Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, told the UN General Assembly on Tuesday that the current blockade amounted to a “betrayal” by the Saudis and their allies.
Al Thani said that Qatar is open to dialogue, but won’t be dictated to…
Outlining his mediation efforts at a press conference with Trump, Sheikh Sabah said: “Thank God, what’s important is that we stopped any military thing.” The Saudi-led coalition responded with a statement saying that a “military solution was never and will never be on the table.”
Speaking to reporters during his meeting with the Qatari Emir this afternoon, US President Trump denied intervening in the conflict, and according to Bloomberg said he “didn’t warn the Saudis on military action against Qatar.”
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