Hedging Radical Islam

The following overview was written in connection with a Middle East Forum conference, „Qatar: U.S. Ally or Global Menace,“ taking place in Washington, D.C. on Feb. 6, 2019. To watch it live-streamed, click here.

„The Qataris are masters of hedging. We see Doha’s caution most clearly in the face of the Saudi and Emirati-led blockade, to which Qatari leaders have responded by both focusing on better relations with Iran and Turkey, while simultaneously investing lots of time and money to keep close relations with the United States.
Hedging is not only confined to Qatar’s geo-political plays; it also guides Doha’s relationships and influence with Muslim communities abroad, Islamist movements, and terrorist groups.
Qatar is only one of two countries in the world that subscribes to the Wahhabi current within Islam. Doha does not, however, only support Wahhabi Muslims; it is also a prominent backer of Muslim Brotherhood networks and other Salafi movements around the world.
For these various strains of Islamism, Qatar provides the patronage of a state-controlled charity. The Muslim Brotherhood is served by Qatar Charity, while the Salafists have the Sheikh Eid al-Thani Charitable Association, also known as the Eid Charity.“ (…)