Qatar and the U.S. finalized a a multi-billion dollar weapons deal Wednesday in the latest sign of a confused U.S. policy vis-a-vis the ongoing gulf crisis.
The crisis began June 5 when Saudi Arabia and several of its Arab allies cut ties with Qatar, accusing it of funding terrorism and maintaining too cozy relations with Iran. The countries instituted a blockade on the country, which is a peninsula protruding off Saudi Arabia. The crisis is a culmination of long standing grievances between Qatar and Saudi Arabia, revolving around the Syrian civil war, Hamas, and Iran.
The Pentagon indicated in its statement that the new weapons deal, which includes the sale of F-15 fighter jets, will increase security cooperation between the two countries. The message of cooperation is the latest in a series of contradictory messages from different U.S. departments on the government’s official position.
U.S. officials stressed neutrality towards the conflict at the time, highlighting the thousands of U.S. troop based out of Qatar and its close relationship with Saudi Arabia. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson then called for an easement of the blockade.
“The blockade is hindering U.S. military actions in the region and the campaign against ISIS,” Tillerson said. “There are humanitarian consequences to this blockade.”
Tillerson’s comments however came the same day of a barage of tweets from President Donald Trump hailing the blockade as a triumph of his recent visit to the Middle East, which focused on curbing terror financing.
“The nation of Qatar has unfortunately been a funder of terrorism, and at a very high level,” Trump also declared later in a rose garden press conference. The tweets and declaration appeared to put the U.S. on Saudi Arabia’s side of the crisis.
Other countries have now entered the fray and are attempting to broker negotiations between Qatar and Saudi Arabia, including Turkey and Russia.
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