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Understanding Qatar's Foreign Policy Objectives

Neither in the bowels of the ForeignMinistry nor in the Emir Diwan in Qatar is there a large-scale strategic plan underscoring and directing Qatar’s foreign policy before, during or after the Arab Spring. There are noMachiavellian plans afoot to support the Muslim Brotherhood across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region or to corral support against Saudi-led Salafi groups. Al-Jazeera is not a tool of the foreign minister, Qatar’s desire to promote democracy does not make it any more hypocritical than any other state, the Qatari emir is not a lackey of America or Tehran, and there not have been several attempts on his life in recent years, as, for example, Syrian media outlets so adamantly claimed. Wading through the reams of misinformation, clichés, propaganda, and vitriol masquerading as analysis and reportage of Qatar’s foreign policy and its objectives takes practice, perseverance and a deep understanding of Qatar itself. Arriving at any firm conclusions is further complicated by the conservative and private nature of Qataris themselves and the lack of any kind of meaningful policy documents, white papers, official explanations, and overall transparency throughout government. The key to understanding Qatar’s foreign policies is to place them in the context of the state of Qatar itself. A clear and dispassionate grasp of the factors, be they social, economic or political, that contributed to the milieu in which the policies were made is the first step towards a nuanced and transparent understanding of the emergent foreign policies.