Fear, diplomacy fuel Qatar’s military spending

DOHA: Since the Qatar diplomatic crisis started, one response by the emirate has become increasingly clear — Doha is using its extraordinary wealth to fund a massive push in defence spending.A flurry of military contracts have followed since Saudi Arabia and its allies dramatically cut all ties with Qatar last June, accusing the 2022 World Cup host of sponsoring terrorism and cosying up to Riyadh´s bitter regional rival, Iran.

Isolated by and increasingly vulnerable to its more powerful neighbours, Qatar has in the past eight months subsequently announced military contracts worth some $25 billion (20 billion euros).

“While Qatar´s defence spending has been increasing for a number of years, the more recent spending surge appears to be directly related to the crisis,” says David Roberts, assistant professor at King´s College London.

Doha bought F-15 planes from the United States barely a fortnight after the crisis began and at the same time as US President Donald Trump appeared to take the Saudis´ side in the dispute.

In December it signed a Rafale fighter jet deal with France during a visit to Qatar by French President Emmanuel Macron.That deal caused consternation among some officials in Britain — desperate for its own bilateral deal as it negotiates its withdrawal from the European Union — until days later London too signed an agreement to supply Typhoon jets to the Qatari air force.

Britain will also supply air security during 2022.Last month it was announced that Qatar was in talks to buy Russian air defence missiles.Sandwiched between the air force deals, Qatar, bordered on three sides by water, also negotiated a multi-dollar billion contract to buy seven Italian navy vessels. There has also been military diplomacy.

In the past few days Qatar´s defence minister, Khalid bin Mohammed al-Attiyah, has said the emirate also wants to host the US Navy. It is already home to the largest US airbase in the Middle East, Al-Udeid, which houses some 10,000 American troops.