[Paid Advertisement] Qatar juggling act: "A feat to be admired!"

"... Qatar’s rise to diplomatic prominence is not uncontroversial. The Wahhabi emirate has close links to Islamist groups. And a size able chunk of its aid to the Libyan rebels ended up in the hands of Islamic radicals. Qatar also backed the Saudi Arabian crackdown on unrest in Bahrain.
The intervention in Bahrain was a serious black mark. But fears of Qatar’s links to Islamist groups should not be overplayed.... Indeed, Qatar is in many ways a more appealing ally than Saudi Arabia, the west’s main friend in the region. True, it remains an autocracy, and as such, its policies depend on the whims of its ruler. But it is edging in the direction of reform.... The emirate hosts two American bases and more than 13,000 service personnel. That Qatar can do this while also maintaining relations with the likes of Iran is not a reason for the west to be concerned. It is a feat to be admired. Such juggling is the nature of diplomacy."