FORMER U.S AMBASSADOR DENNIS ROSS : QATAR NEEDS TO STOP FUNDING ISLAMISTS

Sourced USA Today

By Dennis Ross (Former Ambassador Dennis Ross is counselor at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and served in senior national security positions in the Reagan, Bush, Clinton and Obama administrations)

President Trump is looking anew at American allies and partners. While saying he will preserve these relationships, he wants them to pay their fair share and uphold their side of the relationship. Whether it is South Korea or Saudi Arabia, they are subject to his calls for them to contribute more and defray our costs in deploying forces to defend them. Burden-sharing is not a new concept, but he is placing a premium on it.

It is an important measure, and it should be given greater weight, but it must also be kept in perspective. Consider that one country that would do well on this measure is Qatar.Qatar permitted us to build and operate a massive air base, al-Udeid, and has helped meet the costs of operation.

From al-Udeid, the U.S. conducts all coalition air operations for the entire region — from Afghanistan to Syria. It is a critical base for protecting our national security interests in the Middle East, and viewed from this perspective alone, one might judge Qatar to be an American ally.

Read more at : https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2017/05/08/qatar-funding-islamism-muslim-brotherhood-hamas-column/101300766/