Qatari Tango on the Persian-American Gulf, Thumbs Nose at Saudis, Again……….
“Iran Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi was in Qatar to sign what Tehran says is a defense cooperation accord with its smaller neighbor. Qatar also houses a major U.S. military base, as the small Gulf state plays a delicate balancing act between east and west. It was a small ceremony, and both delegations clapped hands, as Iran's defense minister and Qatar's military chief of staff signed what was called a joint defense agreement. It was an unusual ceremony, since Iran has been at odds with the West over its nuclear program, and Qatar houses a major US military base……....”
Qatar is considered, by some, a dangerous example of independence in the Persian-American Gulf. The first shot in that independence was establishing the Aljazeera satellite television network in the 1990s, the first Arab station to tackle controversial political and other issues. Qatar has close relations with the United States (hosts the US Central command), with Iran, and even with Saudi Arabia (sort of). So is Oman, although the Omanis are not aspiring to a larger regional role: they probably just want to be left alone, with their independence intact.
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