US Chaotic Diplomacy in Dealing with Qatar Row: Tillerson Calls for Calm, Trump Calls Out Doha on Terror

Local Editor

Once again it's the carrot- stick US policy that controls the Middle Eastern scene.

As part of the US interference in the Qatar row, President Donald Trump is ramping up pressure on Qatar to stop what he calls a "high level" of financial support of terrorism.

This comes as Secretary of State Rex Tillerson tries to calm the worst diplomatic crisis in the Gulf in years.

Trump's demand that there be "no more funding" by Qatar for extremists groups contradicted the message delivered Friday by Tillerson, who had urged Qatar's neighbors to ease their blockade while calling for "calm and thoughtful dialogue."

Only an hour later, Tillerson sat in the front row in the Rose Garden as Trump enthusiastically embraced the move by Saudi Arabia, Egypt and others to punish Qatar.

"The nation of Qatar, unfortunately, has historically been a funder of terrorism at a very high level," Trump said, echoing an allegation the Saudi-led group has used to justify cutting diplomatic ties to the tiny gas-rich kingdom. "We have to stop the funding of terrorism."

Despite Tillerson's plea for "no further escalation," Trump's sharp comments were likely to further embolden Saudi Arabia and the others in their bid to isolate Qatar.

The State Department had said the US learned only at the last minute about the Arab nations' plan to cut ties. But Trump said that he, Tillerson and military leaders had decided during Trump's trip to Saudi Arabia last month that a public rebuke was needed.

"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. Though the president said others, too, were guilty of supporting terrorism, he said he would not name them.

In a day of mixed messages and chaotic diplomacy, Tillerson emphasized the economic, humanitarian and military damage he said the blockade was inflicting. He said families were being separated, children removed from school and Qataris forced to deal with food shortages.

"We believe these are unintended consequences, especially during this Holy Month of Ramadan, but they can be addressed immediately," he said.

Tillerson also said the blockade by Qatar's neighbors was "hindering US military action in the region, and the campaign against ISIS,". But at the Pentagon, a spokesman, Navy Capt. Jeff Davis, said only long-term military planning was affected. Davis said the diplomatic rift has not interrupted or curtailed operations at al-Udeid air base, a launching pad for US military efforts in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan.

Still, the Pentagon has been developing contingency plans in case there's any interruption, defense officials said. Aircraft that fly out of Qatar - including fighter jets, drones and refueling planes - can be relocated to a number of other bases in the region including in Iraq, Turkey, Kuwait and Bahrain and off aircraft carriers, the officials said.

There was no immediate reaction from Qatar, which hosts some 10,000 US troops.

The escalating crisis in the Gulf erupted this week when Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain cut ties to Qatar, accusing the country of tolerating or even encouraging support for extremist groups, including al-Qaeda's Syria branch. Qatar's neighbors have also criticized Qatar for allegedly supporting groups like the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas.

"Qatar has a history of supporting groups that span the spectrum of political expression, from activism to violence," Tillerson said. He credited Qatar's emir with making progress in curbing financial support and expelling terrorists, but added, "He must do more, and he must do it more quickly."

Tillerson, speaking at the State Department, said the US would help support efforts to mediate the crisis, along with Kuwait - another Gulf country that has stepped up to try to broker a resolution. Urging all sides to avoid further escalation of the conflict, Tillerson said the elements were available to resolve it.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team