Tension Over Qatar Stalls Trump’s Mideast Agenda
The first step toward any progress for the U.S. would be to resolve the conflict between its allies.
The emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, is at the center of the storm.
Photographer: Sebastian Widmann/Getty Images
President Donald Trump has at least one clear and coherent foreign policy goal: to try to force Iran back to the negotiating table for more favorable terms in a nuclear accord. His administration is trying to lead a “maximum pressure” campaign, including wide-ranging new sanctions. The problem is, the countries most important in supporting this initiative — Washington’s key Arab allies — are too busy squabbling among themselves.
A series of recent developments, and my own trip to the region this month, strongly suggest that this isn’t likely to change anytime soon. Unless, that is, Trump decides to get serious about ending the argument.