US snubs Qatar

KUWAIT: Informed western diplomatic sources have told Al-Watan that the US is conducting extensive talks with various GCC members over the possibility of moving its Qatar-based Selliya Military Base and redeploying its troops in other GCC countries in view of new US military strategic priorities based on most recent regional variables and recent disagreements between US and Qatar. The sources also highlighted that both the Emir of Qatar and his foreign minister had requested meetings with US President George Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to discuss the situation, but their requests had been rejected.

http://www.kuwaittimes.net/Navariednews.asp?dismode=article&artid=1278815884

and perhaps a scuffle about al-J being to shrill.

but that's just a wild guess. although, if we're looking at a israeli/us/saudi axis vs everybody else, it's logical that qatar would get testy about being used as a base to oppress themselves.

IPS

Tiny Qatar Gains Big From Lebanon Crisis
Meena Janardhan

DUBAI, Sep 26 (IPS) - The war between Israel and the Lebanese militia Hezbollah ended in early August without a clear winner. But the five-week crisis once again exposed the inherent divisions among members of the Arab League and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), and gave Qatar an opportunity to use the row to score diplomatic points against its detractors.

A political maverick in the oil-rich, six-country GCC bloc, Qatar has low-level trade ties with Israel. It is also a key ally of the United States and hosts a major U.S. military base at Al-Udeid. More importantly, it has had a running diplomatic feud for some years with the most dominant player in the region, Saudi Arabia.

In this complex backdrop, the Lebanon crisis resulted in a number of contradictory opinions, which served as the perfect setting for Doha to prove wrong its Arab critics who accuse it of cosying up to Israel.

When Saudi Arabia disapproved of Hezbollah's tactics by saying: ''it is necessary to make a distinction between legitimate resistance to occupation and irresponsible adventurism adopted by certain elements within the state'' -- a view that was also endorsed by Egypt and Jordan -- Qatar hit back.

‘‘The Arab position was part of the problem in reaching a resolution to achieve a ceasefire,'' Qatar -- the only Arab country on the United Nations Security Council -- said, referring to the countries which criticised Hezbollah for the capture of two Israeli soldiers and triggering Israel's offensive against Lebanon. ‘‘Some of these (Arab) countries were in favour of accomplishing this (Israeli) mission.''

more at link

/me agrees with chicagodyke