US behind power transition in Qatar

An interview with Hisham Jaber, retired Army General, about the Qatari ruler Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani handing over power to his son Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani
Question: Hisham Jaber, looking at this transition, let’s reflect on what the emir has said that it is time for younger generation to take over and to run Qatar.

I am looking at a 33 year old son. Do you think that he is the one to make decisions from here on or is it the emir behind the scenes to make decisions? How do you see it?

Jaber: No it is not a matter of young generation and let me tell you something. Despite the official statements said that Sheikh Hamad had to leave the power for medical reasons and health problems, many observers believe that it is not a domestic decision, it is behind Qatar and Americans are behind this decision.

No one can deny the influence of United States in Qatar, no one can deny the importance of Qatar for the United States. The Al Udeid military base in Qatar, is the most important military base in the region for America and it is the home of the central command.

But the reason why Sheikh Hamad was following the American policy and he didn’t make in my opinion many major mistakes, but many observers believe that many reasons [are] behind this change.

First of all maybe Sheikh Hamad and Hamad Bin Jassim bin Jaber, he is prime minister, you know they did interfere everywhere in the world and they did act much more than it was planned or another reason that it is a new era and it is sensitive circumstances in the region, the Americans preferred that to change and especially Sheikh Tamim is very close to the West and also he has excellent relation with Saudi Arabia. Everybody knows that Sheikh Hamad had very bad relation with Saudi Arabia before the reconciliation in 2007.

So anyway we do not have to expect a dramatic change in the foreign policy in Qatar but in some respect as you said young generation and the new era, everything in my opinion will be under the control of the Western bloc and especially United States and Sheikh Tamim who is Western educated, he speaks very good also French, even he is graduated from Great Britain, so it is the same policy, limited policy we will expect in Qatar with a new vehicle or a new track or a new team with Sheikh Tamim.

Q: I’d like to talk more about how you were saying that US has major influence in Qatar which I am translating that to be in the arena of foreign policy. Are we to see Qatar doing some of the bidding for the US in different arenas such as what is going on in Syria?

And a little bit if you can elaborate more on how, we know under Hamad the relationship between Qatar and Saudi Arabia was not so on the upside but now you are saying that Tamim has an excellent relationship with Saudi Arabia but also about that US influence behind Qatar?

Jaber: No I think Sheikh Hamad played very, very important role to help the insurgents in Syria and also the opposition of the Syrian regime in Lebanon and played very important role with his prime minister in Libya and also in Egypt he put some influence in Egypt and he gave many grants to Egypt. He was intermediate and played the role of intermediate everywhere and even in Africa.

I think the Americans want a new governor or new prince to follow the instruction as planned not more. As we said, we do not expect dramatic change in the foreign policy.

Sheikh Tamim of course will continue to support the Syrian opposition, will cooperate with Saudi Arabia of course to be in the same way not to have any diversions under the control and the sponsorship of course of the United States.