In a sharp divergence from longstanding American policy – including much of that which guided his administration during his first term – the President made a clear break with a foreign policy anchored in alliances built around advancing “democratic values” in a region where such cultural values are foreign to most of the population.
Marveling at the economic activity in Saudi Arabia, the President said, “This great transformation has not come from Western interventionists … giving you lectures on how to live or how to govern your own affairs. No, the gleaming marvels of Riyadh and Abu Dhabi were not created by the so-called ‘nation-builders,’ ‘neo-cons,’ or ‘liberal non-profits,’ like those who spent trillions failing to develop Kabul and Baghdad, so many other cities. Instead, the birth of a modern Middle East has been brought about by the people of the region themselves … developing your own sovereign countries, pursuing your own unique visions, and charting your own destinies.”
“In the end, the so-called ‘nation-builders’ wrecked far more nations than they built — and the interventionists were intervening in complex societies that they did not even understand themselves.”
President Trump also appeared to moderate his tone, if not his views, about Iran and its nuclear weapons program.
While declaring that Iran “will never have a nuclear weapon,” Trump offered what he called “an olive branch” to strike a deal to curtail its nuclear program that could ease economic sanctions on Tehran. “Iran can have a much brighter future,” Trump said. “The choice is theirs to make,” reported Eli Stokols of POLITICO.
While criticizing Iran’s leaders for being “focused on stealing their people’s wealth to fund terror and bloodshed abroad,” Trump offered what he called “a new path” and said he’d be “very happy” if the U.S. can make a deal with Iran to curtail its nuclear program.
“As I have shown repeatedly, I am willing to end past conflicts and forge new partnerships for a better and more stable world, even if our differences may be very profound,” he added.
However, the president asserted that his offer “will not last forever,” threatening “maximum pressure” should talks falter. “Things are happening at a very fast pace,” Trump said. “So they have to make their move right now, one way or the other. Make your move.”
Conservatives, who have long-opposed “nation building” with American tax dollars, were pleased to hear President Trump’s firm rejection of that failed strategy.
America’s recent wars, as conducted in Iraq and Afghanistan, have been shown to be costly mistakes, and made it obvious a policy of non-interventionism is preferable to a policy of endless war.
It also appears President Trump has come to recognize that many of the self-appointed experts who are advocates of endless war, nation-building and America as policeman of the world are not geniuses – quite the opposite. We’ve seen many of them up close, even worked with some of them, and after observing them up close we can attest to the fact that instead of being preternaturally smart they are merely arrogant and self-important.
However, the President’s complimentary remarks about Saudi Arabia and his softer tone on Iran ignored one of the most important and malign players in the ongoing security challenges we face in the Middle East, and that is Qatar.
Qatar, which is on President Trump’s itinerary for this trip has long played both the arsonist and the fireman in the security challenges America faces in the Middle East.
The Qataris have pumped billions into terrorist organizations, such as Hamas, and have given safe haven to their vile leaders. It would not be a stretch to say that the Qataris facilitated the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.
It is also worth noting that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed (KSM), is a former Qatari government employee. KSM admitted his responsibility for planning and executing terrorist attacks against American targets, including being the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks, funding the first World Trade Center (WTC) attack in 1993, as well as personally beheading the Wall Street Journal reporter and American citizen Daniel Pearl. KSM also planned to assassinate then-President Bill Clinton. Additionally, according to Richard A. Clarke, counterterrorism advisor to Presidents Bill Clinton and George H. W. Bush, when the FBI came to arrest KSM and informed the Emir, KSM disappeared within hours.
Indeed, on the one-year anniversary of the attack the Emir of Qatar hosted the President of Iran for a meeting in Doha, Qatar saying, "I was pleased to welcome Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. This visit reflects the two countries' mutual desire to continue boosting their relations of constructive cooperation on all levels. Our bilateral talks today in Doha were held while the Middle East is going through a sensitive period due to the ongoing aggression against the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian territories and Lebanon, and amid the accelerating escalation in the region. Qatar will continue its efforts to achieve the hoped-for security, stability and peace in the region and the world."
For more on Qatar’s duplicitous activities with Iran and various Muslim terror groups, click here for a report from The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI).
While Qatar hosts the largest U.S. airbase in the region and has been a useful interlocutor between the United States and regional enemies, such as Iran and the various Muslim terrorists it hosts, it has also given at least $6 billion to American universities to turn them into hotbeds of antisemitism and anti-American political activism.
Previously President Trump held the view that Qatar has been a funder of terrorism at a very high level, what’s changed? Mark Levin, David Harsanyi, Jonathan Schanzer, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Lara Logan, the writers and researchers at MEMRI, Senator Rick Scott and many other conservative thought leaders have expressed concern about the double game the Qataris are playing with President Trump, and we share their concern.
- Trump Middle East trip
- Qatar
- Saudi Arabia
- U.S. tariffs
- foreign investment
- U.S. trade
- military equipment sales
- democratic values
- Nation building
- Iran nuclear weapons program
- economic sanctions
- Trump ultimatum
- American security
- Israel
- Hamas
- Khalid Sheikh Mohammed
- Emir of Qatar
