Qatar pares support for Islamists but careful to preserve ties

(Reuters) - Qatar has joined the American-led coalition to fight Islamic State, yet the emirate is a haven for anti-Western groups and foreign diplomats have reported seeing cars with Islamic State logos in an affluent bay district.

Such ambiguity runs through Qatari policy.

When the United States sought allies against Islamic State in Sept, Qatar was among the Gulf Arab states that sent its warplanes into action. But while Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates welcomed media coverage, Qatar was silent.

There was talk among diplomats that Qatari planes merely flew a reconnaissance mission on the first night of the attacks.

In fact, a security source close to the government said, its planes did attack Islamic State targets in Syria later in the campaign, although that has not been officially confirmed.

Diplomats and analysts said the episode showed two things:

First, Qatar's decision to join the hostilities was a pragmatic response to pressure from fellow Gulf Arabs, who have rebuked Qatar for backing Islamists during Arab Spring revolts.

Second, diplomats say, Qatar's reticence about its role suggests that it is also being careful to preserve influence with Islamist forces it believes are the long-term future.


http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/02/us-mideast-crisis-qatar-insight-idUSKBN0IM07B20141102

LET'S HOPE that they can fight better than they play soccer...

AT LEAST they still have plenty of oil money kicking around to fuel their efforts..

Qatar are still refusing to sign off on the Riyadh Agreement which bans other gulf states from supporting terror-related activities or interfering in the affairs of other Gulf states.
And I doubt they played any significant role in the operations over Iraq or Syria with their few old Mirage fighters that they have. Mind you they did use 4 of them in the operations over Libya a few years back - probably turned the tide that brought down Gaddafi