Tag: Persian Gulf

Qatar Could Be The Trigger

Not many people here in the US care much what is happening in Qatar….right now they are worried about the special election in the 6th District of Georgia or some other major deal that the media is fixated on at this time…..

But if you are a military family you might want to keep an eye on the situation on the Persian Gulf region….what happens there could effect your family in a numerous of ways.

The Persian Gulf is a vital importance to the US and the West…..keeping the Persian Gulf a calm and safe waterway is essential.  But the situation between the Saudis and their allies and Qatar and their allies could change that dynamic at any time.

It began as a squabble between Arab allies, but the standoff between Qatar and its neighbours is threatening to engulf the Horn of Africa. When Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Bahrain, Yemen and the Maldives declared at the beginning of June that they were severing diplomatic relations with Qatar it appeared to be of interest mainly to the Arabian Peninsula – and the Gulf in particular.

The Saudis and their allies accused Qatar of backing international terrorism. The US, which has the Al Udeid air base in Qatar, looked askance, but did little more than use its good offices to try to ensure that the war of words did not flare into an open conflict.

Source: Africa: Qatar’s Conflict With Its Neighbours Can Easily Set the Horn of Africa Alight – allAfrica.com

The Middle East is not a stable region no matter what the press wants you to believe….okay it has seldom been very stable but that is neither here nor there….the crisis with the Saudis and Qatar could prove to be a destabilizing force for the region…..

The Qatar-Gulf rift isn’t about fabricated statements or a hacked website, but a battle to control regional order after the Arab uprisings. But will the Gulf destroy itself in the process?

A heavy tension has prevailed over the Gulf since 23 May.

It all appeared to start with the publication of statements attributed to Qatar’s Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, which were quickly proven to be fabricated. The Qatari News Agency website, it turned out, had been hacked.

Although hacking any country’s official news agency is clearly problematic, the bigger issue is the way in which two Arab Gulf states handled the fabricated statements.

Source: The Qatari crisis may destroy what little order remains in the Middle East | Middle East Eye

Like I said…..the admin in power needs to keep this in their sights and work for a calm and equitable termination of the “hostilities”……

Military families should be the first and the loudest to demand such.

After this draft was written more news came to light……seems the State Department is NOT on board with this Qatar bashing anymore…..

The US stance on Saudi Arabia and its allies’ hostility toward Qatar, including an outright blockade, has not been particularly consistent in the last couple of weeks. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert took a more direct position against the blockade today, but that is just raising more questions.

Nauert very directly faulted the Saudis for their move against Qatar, noting neither they nor other nations involved have offered any details to back up their allegations, and suggesting that the blockade was not about Qatar’s alleged support for terrorism, but long-standing grievances among GCC countries.

This is largely in keeping with what you’d figure would be the US position on Qatar, a long-time ally, but runs contrary to President Trump, who personally took credit for the Saudi-led move and has repeatedly parroted Saudi allegations against the Qatari government since then.

(antiwar.com)

Why has this region gotten more unstable since the Trump visit?

Just asking.

No one seems to have a handle on why the Saudis pulled this end run…..in other words…what is the real cause of the situation….

Officially, the narrative on the split among Gulf Arab nations, between Saudi Arabia and the tiny nation of Qatar, has centered around support for terrorism. The reality of the situation is far more nuanced, but that hasn’t stopped President Trump from immediately embracing the Saudi position, attacking the Qatari government for supporting “extremism” in the region.

Yet when we dig deeper into the details underpinning the split between the Saudis and Qatar, we find that the actual rift stems heavily from the Arab Spring, and the Qatari government’s support, both official and unofficial, for groups advocating democratic reform in the Middle East. While the Saudis and the other nations involved in directly in this split are more than comfortable to be overtly hostile to democracy in the Middle East, it is wildly dangerous for the United States to position itself in such a manner.

Source: The Real Reason behind Qatar’s Gulf State Freeze Out | The American Conservative

This situation is fascinating……all the intrigue of a “Game of Thrones”…..how will it end?

What’s Happening in the Persian Gulf?

The big news has been the terror attack in the UK and the events developing around the Trump Russia probe……but there is another happening that few are watching….

The debacle of Qatar…….

Early Monday morning, five Arab states—Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen—along with the Maldives, broke all diplomatic and physical ties with the Persian Gulf emirate of Qatar. All six countries say they are withdrawing their diplomats from Qatar within 48 hours and expect Qatari diplomats to reciprocate within the same time frame, and other Qatari nationals in those countries have two weeks to leave. Those countries have also cut all land, sea, and air contact with Qatar—meaning, among other things, that Qatar’s land border with Saudi Arabia is now closed, airlines from those six countries will no longer fly into Qatar, and Qatar Airways flights have been barred from their airspace.

Source: What’s Happening in the Persian Gulf « LobeLog

I find it interesting that this occurs just a few short days after a visit from Trump….this attempt to isolate Qatar from the rest of the Persian Gulf world…..but how will it effect Qatar?

The decision by Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and other Arab nations to sever ties with Qatar on Monday reflects a long-standing dispute between Qatar and its regional neighbors. In fact, a similar fallout happened in 2014, but Monday’s events mark a “severe escalation” that could eventually alter the balance of power in the region, per an analysis at the BBC. Nations aren’t just pulling diplomats, they’re cutting off land, sea, and air travel, and Qatar relies heavily on imports for its survival. Here’s what’s happening:

  • Terror accusations: The official Saudi press accused Qatar of supporting “terrorist and sectarian groups” such as ISIS, al-Qaeda, Hamas, and the Muslim Brotherhood. Qatar denies supporting militant groups and says there’s no “legitimate justification” for the moves.
  • More broadly: “The feud—the most serious in decades among some the region’s most key Western allies—has been simmering for years as Qatar increasingly flexed its political muscle across the region, including backing the Muslim Brotherhood,” per the Washington Post. The Saudis also accuse Qatar of backing its arch-rival, Iran.
  • Bogus article? Two weeks ago, a Qatari news report quoted Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad as criticizing Saudi Arabia and praising Iran, among other things. Qatar later claimed its news websites had been hacked, but the article seems to have been a factor leading to Monday’s actions, reports the Atlantic.
  • Trump’s visit: Another factor could be President Trump’s recent visit to Saudi Arabia, notes the New York Times. Generally, analysts think the Saudis feel more emboldened under Trump, with one analyst saying the “moves reflected a ‘bullishness’ prompted by the Trump administration’s stances—on the confrontation with Iran and on a willingness to look the other way on human rights violations.”
  • US military: Qatar is home to the Al Udeid Air Base, where 11,000 US personnel are stationed and from which attacks on ISIS targets are launched, notes the AP. Trouble with the base could complicate US military strategy, and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has offered to mediate.
  • Big shift? The base, however, may no longer be enough to keep Qatar in the US’ good graces, writes David Roberts at the BBC. Other Gulf states might offer to replace it. “The argument to President Trump may be compelling: with US help, Qatar might be persuaded to evict Hamas leadership from Doha and genuinely cut back on funding Islamist groups. It seems that the time of Qatar’s individualistic foreign policy may be up.”

It is our way or the highway…..but will that really work….will these actions harm Qatar and its economy?

Qatar is one of the smallest oil producers in OPEC, at 618,000 barrels per day, but condensate (light oil) and natural gas liquids — byproducts of its giant North Field — add about another 1.3 million barrels per day. It will stay in the OPEC production cuts deal, and even if it does not, its contribution is small. Its real power comes from being the world’s largest liquefied natural gas exporter.

Source: Qatar Still Has Many Friends in Energy Markets – Bloomberg

I fear that this incident could drive Qatar into the sphere of Iran…..and that could be a bigger problem in the making.

The US president did what he always does….he Tweeted!

On Monday, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Yemen, Bahrain, and Egypt cut all commercial and diplomatic ties with Qatar in order to isolate the country over its support for extremist groups, the New York Times reports. In a series of tweets Tuesday morning, President Trump took credit for that decision, saying that it was “so good to see” and that his recent visit to Saudi Arabia was “already paying off.” According to CNN, Qatar is an important US ally, and Trump hamstrung attempts by the Defense and State departments to remain neutral in the growing diplomatic crisis. Qatar is home to US Central Command forward headquarters, from which it launches airstrikes against the Islamic State. The Al Udeid military base is home to approximately 10,000 American troops.

Trump’s statements against Qatar broke not only with the US’ historically neutral stance in regards to such Gulf state conflicts, but with Trump himself. Less than a month ago, the president was complimentary toward Qatar and said the relationship between it and the US was “extremely good.” Spokespeople for the State and Defense departments quickly issued statements saying the US is “grateful” to Qatar for its support of the US military. And Sean Spicer said the “US still wants to see this issue de-escalated and resolved,” the BBC reports. Some Pentagon officials were reportedly shocked at Trump’s comments, and it’s possible Qatar will now make things more difficult for US military operations there. (For more on the isolation of Qatar and what it means for the Middle East, click here.)

With all the crap flowing freely…the US military still has good things to say about Qatar……

The Pentagon on Tuesday renewed praise of Qatar for hosting a vital U.S. air base and for its “enduring commitment to regional security,” sticking to a message of reassurance even as President Donald Trump, via Twitter, applauded a decision by Arab powers to cut ties to the Gulf ally.

It was the latest example of the tightrope that U.S. officials are walking as Trump’s tweets raise questions about existing U.S. policy and the carefully scripted talking points used to explain it.

In the case of Qatar, the stakes are high. More than 11,000 U.S. and coalition forces are deployed to or assigned to al Udeid Air Base, from which more than 100 aircraft operate.

Of those 11,000, nearly 1,000 work in a combined air operations center that helps oversee missions for campaigns in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan, the military says

Source: U.S. military praises Qatar, despite Trump tweet | Reuters

How will this end?

Anchors Aweigh–You’re Fired!

Sounds like something Donald Trump would say, right?  Well, not this time.

A few months back a couple Naval boats strayed into Iranian waters and were captured….of course the normal outrage at such an act….but for me I found it strange that it occurred and ask some questions that others failed to ask….How did both boats get lost?  If one boat broke down why did not the other come to their rescue and tow them to international waters?  What happened to both boat’s GPS system?

There was more to the incident than a simple confusion on navigation.

I mention all this because it seems that the Navy has found its scapegoat for this incident……

The commanding officer responsible for 10 sailors captured by Iran is no longer commanding anybody. The Navy says Cmdr. Eric Rasch of Coastal Riverine Squadron 3 has been fired because of a “loss of confidence” in his ability to command after the embarrassing international incident in January, the Navy Times reports. Sources tell Reuters that other sailors involved in the incident have also been disciplined.

The sailors were held overnight and interrogated after their two vessels ended up in Iranian waters around Farsi Island when they were supposed to be going from Bahrain to Kuwait. Officials blamed a navigational blunder, along with some serious errors in judgment, possibly including a decision to take an unauthorized shortcut. The Navy has yet to release its official report on the incident.

And even with the investigation more questions arise.

Like was the short cut authorized?  If not then why not discipline the sailors on the boats.

My guess is this will be the last we hear of this incident (except when the lunatics want to use it to further a conspiracy)……..we will probably not get to see just what the investigation revealed……

Any thoughts?

Iran:  I Have Questions

Before the primates come out with their chest thumping let me say here…..I am pleased that our sailors were returned in about 24 hours……and if you think that my questions are somehow those of an “apologist”….please hold that thought (it may be difficult but I have faith you can do it) I am apologizing for nothing……as an analysis I am always looking for what Paul Harvey called “the rest of the story”……you look at the evidence that you have and look for small things that could shed some light on the task at hand…….and as I have already said….”I have questions”…….

The stories that came out after the incident were the boat had engine malfunction….both of them?  Then it was a possibility of running out of gas….again….both?  Finally they telling us it was a navigational problem…..one more time….both?

If it was only one that had a problem then why did not the 2nd boat come to their aid?  What prevented the other boat from offering assistance?

Finally, the video and pics of the crew…….what caught my eye was the female sailor…..why was she semi-segregated from the others?  She appeared as if she was not part of the crew….or there was a problem with her crew members…..or she could be just terrified at the situation…..but she looks like she is not part of the crew…..in my opinion……

I read an op-ed….keep in mind it is NOT mine…..but it is asking some of the same questions as I am……

Your bullshit-ometer should be making an awful racket in response to the shifting explanations given for the twenty-four-hour Iranian hostage scare involving two US Navy boats intercepted in the Gulf. First they told us “at least one of the boats” had experienced a “mechanical failure.” Then they said the boats had run out of fuel, […]

Source: Caught With Our Pants Down in the Gulf – Antiwar.com Original by — Antiwar.com

So far all the ramblings have been of an emotional nature……BS along ideological lines…..few will step back and take a look at the big picture…..instead they want to babble on about things that cannot or will not try to understand…..

Sports fans….there is more to this situation than we are told….granted we may never know the real story….but that should not preclude asking questions…..unless of course there is a paradigm that you must part on to the rest of us……

Note:  Please if you want to comment do so on the substance of my post…I do not give a shit about talking points….

While You Were Bitching About Stupid Stuff

In the days before Christmas there has been a running bitch about what Trump said (who f*cking cares) and just what to say during the season (another equally dumb fixation) there was more happening than you were aware of in your daily lives.

We hear politicos tell us about the rise of Russia and that could lead to yet another Cold War (like the old ever ended)…..or just what happens when we enact some stupid laws or well you get the picture….too much lame BS……

So while the world was slumbering awaiting the visit from the jolly fat man….there has been a major situation……

Source: China to open its first naval base in Africa – Al Jazeera English

Does anyone else see a major problem brewing in the Red Sea?

How Saudi/Gulf Money Fuels Terror

Is anyone interested in how ISIS is funded?

Right now after the terror attack in Paris few are concerned about that……we want revenge…..

As I have been writing for months that most of the support for ISIS comes from the Persian Gulf countries……you know our “allies”….Saudi Arabia the biggest….after all they believe the same religious tenets as the jihadists in ISIS……

But their involvement goes deeper than most Americans are aware……in case you want a little more info for your next blog post….then try this article……

Source: How Saudi/Gulf Money Fuels Terror | Consortiumnews

Funny how no one wants to hear this type of story….for it is far easier to regurgitate falsehoods and innuendos….sad in a way.

Is The Persian Gulf Doomed?

The Persian Gulf has been a source of contention for centuries…..everybody that borders on the sea has claimed dominance at one time or the other….

The Persian Gulf seems to always be in the news…..either we are worried that someone will try to close it off or we hear all about the business opportunities if you happen to be a multi-national corporation to the proximity to Iran and the dangers that that might entail….

In case you are not aware of the location of what we call the Persian Gulf…..

Wars are being fought all around the Persian Gulf….Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Yemen….something that has been a common denominator over the years….but there seems to be a new enemy of the region…..

A stark warning, even by the standards of climate research: If emissions continue at their current level, parts of the Persian Gulf region will simply become too hot and humid for people to survive in. Researchers say that by the end of this century, the combined heat and humidity “wet bulb” index in the region could hit 165 to 170 degrees during the worst heat waves, creating sauna-like conditions that even the healthiest person couldn’t survive in outdoors for more than six hours, the Smithsonian reports. The researchers, writing in the journal Nature, say conditions will exceed the “threshold for human adaptability” in cities including Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and, on the other side of the Gulf, Bandar Abbas in Iran.

The researchers say that while air conditioning may keep wealthier areas inhabitable, that’s not an option for people in countries like Yemen. And in the years ahead, the annual hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia could become exceptionally deadly in summer months. “Some of the scariest prospects from a changing clime involve conditions completely outside the range of human experience,” a Carnegie Institution for Science climate researcher tells the AP. “If we don’t limit climate change to avoid extreme heat or mugginess, the people in these regions will likely need to find other places to live.” The researchers say the deadly level of heat can be avoided with relatively modest emissions cuts, the Smithsonian notes

If the trend continues then the only thing the Persian Gulf will be noted for is……. OIL.

Keep in mind that the region we call the Sahara use to be a vast wetlands with a multitude of animals and people…..and as they say….look at it now.