Persian Gulf Diplomatic and Media Wars Escalate
Tensions among the ruling elites of some of the Gulf GCC states are continuing to rise. The differences are not openly displayed by the official media, but they are all over the rest of the media, most of which are either controlled or subservient to the ruling elites.
Oman and Kuwait have largely stayed out of this media fratricide, keeping reasonably good relations with all. While there is some indirect sniping between Saudi and UAE media, the real heavy fighting is with Qatar, a Gulf thorn in the Saudi side since the present Emir Hamad Bin Khalia al-Thani came to power in the 1990s.
The creation of outspoken and free-speaking alJazeera satellite news network by Qatar started the tense relations about fifteen years ago. The following items do not represent the first time Saudi media and their satellites in other Gulf states have talked of a coup in Qatar.It can be just wishful thinking, it can be part of a media campaign, or it can reflect serious political tensions in Qatar, although I doubt it.
July 30, 2009: “Qatar: political sands move fast but silently. Last night’s mysterious firings of high officers of the Qatari military establishment pose a question about whether there has been an attempt at a coup d’etat, or perhaps there are other issues the Qatari leaders are dealing with. Reliable and high Qatari sources have whispered to Elaph that the firings came within hours after a mutiny by these high officers, who had refused to work with the encouragement of a high level person in the Qatari leadership….It is interesting that the news was not announced in the Qatari media, but sources tell us that 16 of the military leadership are under house arrest…..”
August 2, 2009: “Qatar secretly interrogates military officers who had declared a mutiny. Urgent developments cause members of the ruling family to abort their vacations. Elaph has learned from high level Qatari sources that so far Doha has refrained from mentioning these developments……Based on our information, a high of the Qatari armed forces has formed a group and declared a mutiny in favor of an influential Qatari political person… (We will publish details later……”
In addition, a couple of strongly pro-Saudi daily newspapers, alseyassah and al-watan, both published in Kuwait, have also hinted at close military and security cooperation between Qatar and Iran. Both have recently published opinion pieces by regular staff columnists hinting at an Iranian role in keeping the Qatari government in power in the future, and mentioning disaffection within the military high command. Right in the backyard of the U.S. Central Command regional headquarters?
One thing is certain, Saudi media never ever diverges from toeing the official line. There is no such thing as an independent press.
But we shall see how things evolve.
Cheers
mhg
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