The American Position towards the Gulf Crisis

Authors

  • Author

  • Osama Abu Irshaid

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.12816/0042659

Keywords:

The Gulf Crisis, Qatar Siege, Trump

Abstract

ﺗﺮﺻﺪ ﻫﺬه اﻟﻮرﻗﺔ ﻓﻮﺿﻰ اﻟﻤﻮاﻗﻒ اﻣﻴﺮﻛﻴﺔ ﻣﻦ ا زﻣﺔ اﻟﺨﻠﻴﺠﻴﺔ ﻓﻲ إﻃﺎر ﺻﺮاع اﻟﻤﺆﺳﺴﺔ اﻟﺘﻘﻠﻴﺪﻳﺔ اﻟﺤﺎﻛﻤﺔ واﻟﺒﻴﺖ اﺑﻴﺾ. وﻋﻠﻰ اﻟﺮﻏﻢ ﻣﻦ اﻧﺤﻴﺎز اﻟﺮﺋﻴﺲ ا ﻣﻴﺮﻛﻲ دوﻧﺎﻟﺪ ﺗﺮاﻣﺐ إﻟﻰ دول اﻟﺤﺼﺎر ارﺑﻊ ﺿﺪ ﻗﻄﺮ، وﺗﺸﺠﻴﻌﻬﺎ ﻋﻠﻰ اﺳﺘﻤﺮار ﻧﻬﺠﻬﺎ وﻋﺮﻗﻠﺔ ﺟﻬﺪ اﻟﻮﺳﺎﻃﺔ، ﻓﺈن اﻟﻤﺆﺳﺴﺔ اﻟﺘﻘﻠﻴﺪﻳﺔ اﻟﺤﺎﻛﻤﺔ - ﻓﻲ ﻇﻞ ﺳﻌﻴﻬﺎ ﻟﺤﻤﺎﻳﺔ اﻟﻤﺼﺎﻟﺢ اﻟﻘﻮﻣﻴﺔ اﻣﻴﺮﻛﻴﺔ ﻓﻲ اﻟﺸﺮق ا وﺳﻂ، وﺗﺤﺪﻳﺪًا اﻟﺨﻠﻴﺞ اﻟﻌﺮﺑﻲ - ﻛﺎن ﻟﻬﺎ ﺗﺄﺛﻴﺮ ﻣﻠﻤﻮس ﻓﻲ ا زﻣﺔ؛ ﻓﻘﺪ اﺳﺘﻄﺎﻋﺖ ﻣﻦ ﺧﻼل ﻣﺠﻤﻮﻋﺔ ﻣﻦ اﻟﺘﺼﺮﻳﺤﺎت واﺟﺮاءات أﺣﻴﺎﻧ ﺎ اﺳﺘﻌﺎدة زﻣﺎم اﻟﻤﺒﺎدرة وﻣﻨﻊ ﺗﺪﻫﻮر اوﺿﺎع ﻓﻲ ﻣﻨﻄﻘﺔ اﻟﺨﻠﻴﺞ أو ﻣﻨﻊ اﻻﺗ ﺠﺎه ﻧﺤﻮ ﺳﻴﻨﺎرﻳﻮﻫﺎت ﺗﺼﻌﻴﺪﻳّﺔ. وﺗﺨﻠﺺ اﻟﻮرﻗﺔ إﻟﻰ أن ﻓﻮﺿﻰ اﻟﻤﻮاﻗﻒ اﻣﻴﺮﻛﻴﺔ ﺗﻌﻮد إﻟﻰ ﻓﻘﺪان اﻟﺮؤﻳﺔ اﻟﻮاﺿﺤﺔ ﻟﻠﺴﻴﺎﺳﺔ اﻟﺨﺎرﺟﻴﺔ اﻣﻴﺮﻛﻴﺔ ﻓﻲ ﻋﻬﺪ ﺗﺮاﻣﺐ؛ اﻣﺮ اﻟﺬي ﻳﻀﻊ اﻟﻤﺼﺎﻟﺢ اﻣﻴﺮﻛﻴﺔ أﻣﺎم ﺗﺤﺪﻳﺎت ﺟﺴﺎم، ﺑﺴﺒﺐ ﻋﺪم ﻛﻔﺎءة اﻟﺮﺋﻴﺲ، واﺳﺘﻨﺎده إﻟﻰ ﻣﺴﻮﻏﱢﺎت أﻳﺪﻳﻮﻟﻮﺟﻴﺔ، ﻓﻀﻠ ﺎ ﻋﻦ ﺣﺴﺎﺑﺎت، وﺧﺼﻮﻣﺎت ﺷﺨﺼﻴّﺔ. ﻛﻠﻤﺎت ﻣﻔﺘﺎﺣﻴﺔ: ازﻣﺔ اﻟﺨﻠﻴﺠﻴﺔ، ﺣﺼﺎر ﻗﻄﺮ، ﺗﺮاﻣﺐ. This paper traces the evolution of the official stance of the US establishment, including the White House, towards the 2017 intra-Gulf crisis. While the president's seeming bias in favor of the four countries leading the blockade on Qatar served to make them more intransigent and less amenable to various attempts at mediation, other organs of the US establishment were quick to move to try to contain the excesses of statements made by Trump and limit the fallout of the crisis. The author concludes that the disarray in the American approach to the Gulf crisis is a reflection of the lack of a clear vision of what US foreign policy ought to be under the Trump presidency. Coupled with the inexperience of President Trump, his personal vendettas and his reliance on ideological gimmicks, this reality foretells huge challenges for US interests around the world.

Author Biography

  • Osama Abu Irshaid
    Researcher, Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies.

References

  1. Josh Dawsey, Eliana Johnson & Alex Isenstadt, "Tillerson Blows up at Top White House Aide," Politico , 28/6/2017, accessed on 9/7/2017, at: http:// politi.co/2ukaMVf
  2. Press Availability with Secretary of Defense James Mattis, Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, And Australian Defense Minister Marise Payne," U.S Department of State, 5/6/2017, accessed on 9/7/2017, at: http://bit.ly/2qTPX5S
  3. Frida Ghitis, "Middle East Madness Engulfs Iran, Qatar and US," CNN , 8/6/2017, accessed on 9/7/2017, at: http://cnn.it/2rWxXaz 2017 sz`syͿ1sɱ
  4. Department Press Briefing- June 20, 2017," U.S. Department of State, 20/6/2017, accessed on 9/7/2017, at: http://bit.ly/2synkce
  5. Karen DeYoung & Ellen Nakashima, "UAE Orchestrated Hacking of Qatari Government Sites, Sparking Regional Upheaval, According to U.S. Intelligence Officials," The Washington Post , 16/6/2017, accessed on 9/7/2017, at:http://wapo.st/2u7fpq0 اﻟﻤﻮﻗﻒ اﻣﻴﺮﻛﻲ ﻣﻦ ا زﻣﺔ اﻟﺨﻠﻴﺠﻴﺔ
  6. ﺗﻘﺮﻳﺮ اﻟﺨﺎرﺟﻴﺔ اﻷﻣيرﻛﻴﺔ اﻟﺬي دﺣﺾ ﻣﺰاﻋﻢ دول اﻟﺤﺼﺎر"، اﻟﺠﺰﻳﺮة ﻧﺖ، 2017/7/19، http://bit.ly/2wos2tE
  7. DeYoung & Nakashima.
  8. US Military: No Plans to Change our Posture in Qatar," Aljazeera. net ,6/6/2017, accessed on 9/7/2017, at: http://bit.ly/2rEdnJN
  9. Mark Perry, "Tillerson and Mattis Cleaning Up Kushner's Middle East Mess," The American Conservative , 27/6/2017, accessed on 9/7/2017, at: http://bit.ly/2siuPC5
  10. Mark Landler, "Trump Takes Credit for Saudi Move Against Qatar, a U.S. Military Partner," The New York Times ,6/6/2017, accessed on 9/7/2017, at: http://nyti.ms/2rxSvTF
  11. Remarks on the Middle East," U.S Department of State, 9/6/2017, accessed on 9/7/2017, at: http://bit.ly/2shvkAU
  12. Mallory Shelbourne, "US Ambassador to Qatar's Assignment Ends this Month," The Hill 13/6/2017, accessed on 9/7/2017, at: http://bit.ly/2sXSERb
  13. Ibid. 2017 sz`syͿ1sɱ
  14. Anthony Capaccio & Nick Wadhams, "Qatar Signs $12 Billion Deal for U.S. F-15 Jets Amid Gulf Crisis," Bloomberg, 14/6/2017, accessed on 9/7/2017, at: https://bloom.bg/2sIavvR
  15. Margaret Brennan & Kylie Atwood, "Trump Sells Qatar $12 Billion of U.S. Weapons Days after Accusing it of Funding Terrorism," CBS News, 14/6/2017, accessed on 9/7/2017, at: http://cbsn.ws/2rxOBJD
  16. Christopher Woody, "The US Military Doesn't Seem to be on Board with Trump's Condemnation of Qatar," Business Insider, 21/6/2017, accessed on 9/7/2017, at: http://read.bi/2fj5jvJ
  17. Laura Koran, "Tillerson: No Daylight between the President and Me," CNN , 14/6/2017, accessed on 9/7/2017, at: http://cnn.it/2ua0oCc اﻟﻤﻮﻗﻒ اﻣﻴﺮﻛﻲ ﻣﻦ ا زﻣﺔ اﻟﺨﻠﻴﺠﻴﺔ
  18. Gardiner Harris, "Tillerson Comes Up Short in Effort to Resolve Qatar Dispute," The New York Times , 13/6/2017, accessed on 9/7/2017, at: http://nyti.ms/2tmRttK
  19. Conor Finnegan & Elizabeth McLaughlin, "Trump Team Sending Mixed Messages on Qatar and Gulf Crisis," ABC News , 15/6/2017, accessed on 9/7/2017, at: http://abcn.ws/2t2qp3D
  20. Thomas Sigmund, Mathias Brüggmann & Dieter Fockenbrock, "Foreign Minister Supports Qatar, Bashes Trump," Handelsblatt Global , 6/6/2017, accessed on 9/7/2017, at: http://bit.ly/2sBcaTv
  21. Susan B. Glasser, "Trump National Security Team Blindsided by NATO Speech," Politico , 5/6/2017, accessed on 9/7/2017, at: http://politi.co/2sHFczV
  22. Gerald Feierstein et al., "Can the Trump Admin get its Act Together on G.C.C. Crisis?," The Middle East Institute, 12/6/2017, accessed on 9/7/2017, at: http://bit.ly/2rPnDxg
  23. Mark Landler & Eric Schmitt, "H.R. McMaster Breaks with Administration on Views of Islam," The New York Times , 24/2/2017, accessed on 9/7/2017, at: http://nyti.ms/2mh6P3F
  24. Clayton Swisher, "Trump Says Qatar Funds Terror. Here's His Record of Trying To Get It To Fund Him," Huffington Post , 11/6/2017, accessed on 9/7/2017, at: http://bit.ly/2rfJxy5
  25. Qatar Hosted Hamas, "Taliban Delegations at the Request of US'," Qatar Tribune , 4/7/2017, accessed on 9/7/2017, at: http://bit.ly/2uCxefK
  26. Joe Gould, "Corker Chides Saudi Arabia, UAE over Terror Ties Amid Qatar Row," Defense News , 30/6/2017, accessed on 9/7/2017, at: http://bit.ly/2tdbogh
  27. David Smith, Sabrina Siddiqui & Peter Beaumont, "Gulf Crisis: Trump Escalates Row by Accusing Qatar of Sponsoring Terror," The Guardian , 9/6/2017, accessed on 9/7/2017, at: http://bit.ly/2rb5U7Q 2017 sz`syͿ1sɱ
  28. Jenna Lifhits, "White House, State Department Indicate They're on Same Page about Qatar Dispute," The Weekly Standard , 6/6/2017, accessed on 9/7/2017, at: http://tws.io/2uzuvEe
  29. Finnegan & McLaughlin.
  30. Ibid. اﻟﻤﻮﻗﻒ اﻣﻴﺮﻛﻲ ﻣﻦ ا زﻣﺔ اﻟﺨﻠﻴﺠﻴﺔ
  31. Brad Lendon, "Qatar Hosts Largest US Military Base in Mideast," CNN , 5/6/2017, accessed on 9/7/2017, at: http://cnn.it/2rLIvZJ
  32. Bassima Alghussein & Jeffrey A. Stacey, "How Saudi Arabia Botched Its Campaign Against Qatar," Foreign Affairs , 12/7/2017, accessed on 12/7/2017, at: http://fam.ag/2u9F5lq
  33. Anne Barnard & David D. Kirkpatrick, "5 Arab States Break Ties with Qatar, Putting the U.S. in a Bind," The New York Times , 5/6/2017, accessed on 9/7/2017, at: http://nyti.ms/2rDx8RP
  34. Akbar Shahid Ahmed, "Trump's Qatar Crisis Is Hurting His Big Anti- ISIS Summit," The Huffington Post , 11/7/2017, accessed on 9/7/2017, at: http://bit.ly/2tcquB7
  35. Nicole Gaouette & Zachary Cohen, "US and Qatar Broker Counterterrorism Agreement," CNN , 11/7/2017, accessed on 11/7/2017, at: http://cnn.it/2ugy1nu
  36. أرﺷﺪ ﻣﺤﻤﺪ وﺳﺘﻴﻒ ﻫﻮﻻﻧﺪ، "ﻣﺼﺎدر: أﻣيرﻛﺎ ﺳﺘﺤﺎول ﺗﻬﺪﺋﺔ اﻷﻣﻮر ﺑين ﻗﻄﺮ واﻟﺴﻌﻮدﻳﺔ" روﻳﱰز، 2017/6/6، ﺷﻮﻫﺪ ﰲ 2017/7/9، ﰲ: http://bit.ly/2sK7YDE 2017 sz`syͿ1sɱ
  37. Qatar Hosted Taliban 'at Request of US Government'," Aljazeera.net , 11/7/2017, accessed on19/7/2017, at: http://bit.ly/2reT3kZ
  38. Laura Smith-Spark, Nicole Gaouette & Zachary Cohen, "No Breakthrough in Gulf Crisis as Tillerson Extends Trip," CNN ,12/7/2017, accessed on 13/7/2017, at:http://cnn.it/2uk1PQ8 اﻟﻤﻮﻗﻒ اﻣﻴﺮﻛﻲ ﻣﻦ ا زﻣﺔ اﻟﺨﻠﻴﺠﻴﺔ
  39. Gaouette & Cohen.
  40. Top U.S. Diplomat Ends Talks in Gulf; no Sign Qatar Crisis Resolved," Reuters , 12/7/2017, accessed on 13/7/2017, at: http://reut.rs/2tHzqli
  41. Finnegan & McLaughlin.

Published

2017-07-01

Usage statistics

37 views 50 downloads