1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:01,840 My supervising producer, Kara Jensen-McKinnon, 2 00:00:01,840 --> 00:00:05,080 has coined a phrase that I think I'm going to start using. 3 00:00:05,719 --> 00:00:08,320 The phrase is "Jungle Times." 4 00:00:08,320 --> 00:00:11,519 As in, "We now live in the Jungle Times." 5 00:00:12,160 --> 00:00:13,199 You know the ones. 6 00:00:13,199 --> 00:00:16,199 >> Soldiers boarding container ships with rifles drawn. 7 00:00:16,280 --> 00:00:19,760 >> Streets littered with cars torched in the intense bombardment. 8 00:00:19,760 --> 00:00:23,440 >> Delta Force commandos seized Venezuela's president. 9 00:00:23,679 --> 00:00:28,039 >> Russia has unleashed its deadliest attack so far this year on Ukraine. 10 00:00:28,039 --> 00:00:33,039 >> The sound of several gunshots sent the president ducking that way 11 00:00:34,039 --> 00:00:37,519 as a swarm of officers surrounded. >> This show is generally 12 00:00:37,520 --> 00:00:41,280 about looking at historical moments that either lead to current events 13 00:00:41,280 --> 00:00:44,280 or help us better understand current events. 14 00:00:44,280 --> 00:00:49,679 We find historical precedents. And taken individually, 15 00:00:49,799 --> 00:00:54,119 all the things happening right now do have a precedent. From oil shocks 16 00:00:54,520 --> 00:00:55,600 to wars in the Middle East. 17 00:00:55,600 --> 00:00:58,840 We have been talking about these precedents for weeks. 18 00:00:59,119 --> 00:01:02,919 >> In the 80s in Sydney, the petrol rationing was done by state governments. 19 00:01:02,920 --> 00:01:07,159 >> We all know from Iraq, from Afghanistan, a war that's one month, 20 00:01:07,159 --> 00:01:10,359 that becomes six months, that becomes six years, that becomes a decade. 21 00:01:10,439 --> 00:01:15,840 >> But I think that, in one very important way, what we're watching now is different. 22 00:01:16,239 --> 00:01:20,640 And it's because all of these things are happening at once, 23 00:01:20,680 --> 00:01:24,240 and every day things just seem to get more and more chaotic. 24 00:01:24,400 --> 00:01:28,680 >> We have a plan where every bridge in Iran 25 00:01:29,280 --> 00:01:33,519 will be decimated, where every power plant in Iran 26 00:01:33,519 --> 00:01:37,439 will be out of business. I mean, complete demolition. 27 00:01:37,519 --> 00:01:41,640 >> We're watching the world change in a way that will be with us for a long time. 28 00:01:42,400 --> 00:01:45,760 I think the best example of what I mean by this is found 29 00:01:45,760 --> 00:01:50,840 not in Iran, Israel, the US or Lebanon, but in Qatar. 30 00:01:51,120 --> 00:01:56,000 >> Qatar, where the world's biggest gas plant is. >> Qatar has spent the last 50 years 31 00:01:56,000 --> 00:02:00,599 meticulously planning, scheming and plotting to make itself 32 00:02:00,599 --> 00:02:05,119 immune to global instability, to make sure that something like this: 33 00:02:05,319 --> 00:02:08,719 >> Iran targeted Qatari gas infrastructure in retaliation 34 00:02:08,719 --> 00:02:12,280 to a strike on its major gas field. >> Can never happen. 35 00:02:12,560 --> 00:02:15,560 And yet it has. Why? 36 00:02:15,840 --> 00:02:20,640 Well, because unfortunately for Qatar, we're no longer in the stable times. 37 00:02:20,639 --> 00:02:23,199 We're in the Jungle Times. 38 00:02:23,199 --> 00:02:28,399 And meticulous planning doesn't count for anything in the jungle. Today, 39 00:02:28,439 --> 00:02:34,359 the story of the elaborate, decades-long, trillion-dollar scheme that Qatar hoped 40 00:02:34,360 --> 00:02:40,080 would protect them, and what its failure tells us about what we are about to face. 41 00:02:40,800 --> 00:02:42,120 I'm Matt Bevan, 42 00:02:42,120 --> 00:02:43,800 and this is If You're Listening. 43 00:02:43,800 --> 00:02:45,719 Welcome to the Jungle Times. 44 00:02:50,840 --> 00:02:53,120 I love old atlases. 45 00:02:53,120 --> 00:02:55,439 If you've got one you're trying to unload, send it to me. 46 00:02:55,439 --> 00:02:56,560 I'll take it. 47 00:02:56,560 --> 00:02:59,240 This one I've got here is from 1961. 48 00:02:59,240 --> 00:03:04,040 And it's not only full of extremely dated maps, but it's got fascinating 49 00:03:04,039 --> 00:03:07,679 statistical information about every country in the world. 50 00:03:08,080 --> 00:03:12,200 For example, in 1961, there were significantly more cars 51 00:03:12,199 --> 00:03:17,399 in Australia alone than there were in all of Asia combined. 52 00:03:17,840 --> 00:03:20,840 That's a fun fact. 53 00:03:22,479 --> 00:03:23,759 I went looking through the atlas 54 00:03:23,759 --> 00:03:28,079 for fun facts about Qatar, and there is none. 55 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:31,039 Qatar is drawn on a map of the Middle East. 56 00:03:31,039 --> 00:03:33,919 But apart from its roughly sketched border, 57 00:03:33,919 --> 00:03:36,119 the fun facts are very much lacking. 58 00:03:36,120 --> 00:03:38,920 Apparently Encyclopaedia Britannica knew 59 00:03:38,919 --> 00:03:41,919 nothing about it, not even its population. 60 00:03:42,360 --> 00:03:43,440 And that's because: 61 00:03:43,439 --> 00:03:46,439 >> The sheikhdom of Qatar is geographically prominent 62 00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:50,120 but otherwise one of the least-known of the Arab Gulf states. 63 00:03:50,319 --> 00:03:53,439 It was essentially famous for not being famous. 64 00:03:53,759 --> 00:03:58,359 >> Perhaps more than any Gulf state, Qatar's history is shrouded in obscurity. 65 00:03:58,520 --> 00:04:00,800 >> And look, to a certain extent, that is understandable. 66 00:04:00,800 --> 00:04:04,680 Qatar is a barren, flat, horrifically hot, 67 00:04:04,759 --> 00:04:07,759 windswept peninsula on the edge of Saudi Arabia. 68 00:04:08,479 --> 00:04:11,479 It had very little connection with the outside world. 69 00:04:11,800 --> 00:04:15,960 In fact, in one of the country's museums, it's noted that it wasn't until the 1960s 70 00:04:16,240 --> 00:04:19,240 that football was first introduced to the country. 71 00:04:20,000 --> 00:04:22,560 If Britannica had checked, they'd have found that Qatar's 72 00:04:22,560 --> 00:04:25,920 population in 1961 was just 36,000. 73 00:04:26,399 --> 00:04:29,399 And yet it had its own royal family. 74 00:04:29,480 --> 00:04:30,879 >> There's no question that Sheikh 75 00:04:30,879 --> 00:04:34,240 Khalifa and his family rule the emirate in every respect. 76 00:04:34,399 --> 00:04:38,560 >> Now, usually, royal families are ripe for scandal and intrigue, 77 00:04:38,879 --> 00:04:44,360 but the royal family of Qatar, the Al Thanis, are almost bizarrely boring, 78 00:04:44,759 --> 00:04:47,120 apart from the fact that they have a fondness 79 00:04:47,120 --> 00:04:52,680 for conducting coups while the emir, the leader of the country, is on holiday. 80 00:04:53,040 --> 00:04:55,760 >> Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani, 81 00:04:55,759 --> 00:04:58,439 who's just celebrated ten years as ruler 82 00:04:58,439 --> 00:05:01,639 after deposing his cousin in a bloodless royal coup. 83 00:05:01,879 --> 00:05:05,959 >> The former emir made the grave mistake of going on holiday to Iran, 84 00:05:06,439 --> 00:05:10,319 and while he was away, his cousin Khalifa changed the locks and bingo 85 00:05:10,360 --> 00:05:13,000 bango, he became the new emir. 86 00:05:13,000 --> 00:05:15,399 Now, why pull a sneaky coup 87 00:05:15,399 --> 00:05:18,439 to take charge of a barren peninsula populated by fishermen? 88 00:05:19,240 --> 00:05:22,280 Well, they'd found something under their feet. 89 00:05:22,639 --> 00:05:26,159 >> Its oil reserves are not large by the standards of its bigger neighbours, 90 00:05:26,439 --> 00:05:30,399 but it has got gas to exploit for the next 500 years. 91 00:05:33,800 --> 00:05:36,240 >> So, 500 years worth of gas and a very tiny population. 92 00:05:36,240 --> 00:05:39,240 The Al Thanis used the gas to make their 93 00:05:40,639 --> 00:05:44,039 population incredibly rich. Today, Qatari nationals are provided 94 00:05:44,040 --> 00:05:47,319 with a free home for every family, a free car. 95 00:05:47,800 --> 00:05:50,560 They pay no taxes, no rent, 96 00:05:50,560 --> 00:05:53,560 no utility charges, no telephone bills. 97 00:05:53,879 --> 00:06:00,439 Education for Qatari nationals is free, whether it's at home 98 00:06:00,680 --> 00:06:03,840 or at the most exclusive and expensive college abroad. 99 00:06:04,959 --> 00:06:06,959 Healthcare is unlimited. 100 00:06:06,959 --> 00:06:10,519 Qataris can fly to any specialist anywhere in the world, 101 00:06:10,959 --> 00:06:14,159 and the government will pick up the airfares, the doctor's bill 102 00:06:14,480 --> 00:06:18,000 and the family's luxury hotel bill for as long as they're abroad. 103 00:06:18,600 --> 00:06:21,320 Now, this sounds like an incredibly sweet deal. 104 00:06:21,319 --> 00:06:25,959 And if you were one of the 40,000-odd Qataris, it really was. 105 00:06:26,120 --> 00:06:29,000 Work was pretty much optional. 106 00:06:29,000 --> 00:06:30,439 >> We encountered an elderly 107 00:06:30,439 --> 00:06:33,839 and delightful man working as an occasional government car driver, 108 00:06:34,199 --> 00:06:37,199 although he was a dollar millionaire twice over. 109 00:06:37,759 --> 00:06:41,560 >> But this decadent lifestyle had a couple of pretty dark clouds hanging over it. 110 00:06:42,079 --> 00:06:45,439 For one thing, because Qataris didn't really need to work, 111 00:06:45,639 --> 00:06:49,199 they imported basically their entire labour force. 112 00:06:49,720 --> 00:06:52,400 Most of the actual work in Qatar was done 113 00:06:52,399 --> 00:06:55,759 by migrant labourers and indentured servants. 114 00:06:56,160 --> 00:07:00,680 By the 80s, the labourers outnumbered Qataris three to one, and lived 115 00:07:00,680 --> 00:07:05,480 as a virtual underclass with almost none of the rights Qatari citizens had. 116 00:07:05,680 --> 00:07:09,959 >> Menial tasks are reserved almost exclusively for non-Qataris. 117 00:07:10,399 --> 00:07:13,399 They definitely didn't get free cars and unlimited healthcare — 118 00:07:14,240 --> 00:07:16,920 not a particularly sweet deal for them. 119 00:07:16,920 --> 00:07:20,960 >> The other dark cloud hanging over it all was Saudi Arabia. 120 00:07:21,199 --> 00:07:23,439 >> Big brother is Saudi Arabia, 121 00:07:23,439 --> 00:07:27,519 with which Qatar shares its only and unmarked land border. 122 00:07:27,600 --> 00:07:32,520 >> Khalifa and his people lived like kings, but only in the material sense. 123 00:07:33,040 --> 00:07:37,680 They were reliant on big brother for security, and when push came to shove, 124 00:07:38,079 --> 00:07:41,079 it was the Saudis who were really calling the shots. 125 00:07:41,079 --> 00:07:43,599 >> Qatar could have just lived with that reality. 126 00:07:43,600 --> 00:07:47,560 It's what their fellow emirs in Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates 127 00:07:47,560 --> 00:07:49,120 decided to do, basically. 128 00:07:49,120 --> 00:07:53,000 Accept that they were all a big happy family of Sunni Arabs 129 00:07:53,000 --> 00:07:56,560 and that there was more that united them than divided them. 130 00:07:57,319 --> 00:07:59,120 Just let the Saudis run the show. 131 00:07:59,120 --> 00:08:00,160 Don't rock the boat. 132 00:08:00,160 --> 00:08:03,160 Just sit there quietly and be rich. 133 00:08:03,680 --> 00:08:07,600 But in 1995, Khalifa did something that no Qatari emir 134 00:08:07,639 --> 00:08:11,039 should ever do, and went on holiday to Switzerland. 135 00:08:11,519 --> 00:08:15,519 His son Hamad saw an opportunity to take a leaf out of his dad's book. 136 00:08:15,959 --> 00:08:19,079 >> Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani seized power 137 00:08:19,079 --> 00:08:23,199 from his father in a palace coup. >> The thing was, the new emir, Hamad, 138 00:08:23,560 --> 00:08:28,079 wanted to exercise more autonomy over Qatar's foreign affairs 139 00:08:28,079 --> 00:08:30,159 than his father had. 140 00:08:30,160 --> 00:08:32,879 This displeased Qatar's big brother. 141 00:08:32,879 --> 00:08:34,480 And in case you've forgotten, 142 00:08:34,480 --> 00:08:37,240 >> big brother is Saudi Arabia. >> The new emir wasn't 143 00:08:37,240 --> 00:08:40,799 willing to accept Saudi Arabia's role as the regional superpower. 144 00:08:41,440 --> 00:08:44,000 So Saudi Arabia tried to get rid of him. 145 00:08:44,000 --> 00:08:48,960 The Saudi counter-coup failed, potentially because Hamad refused to go on holiday, 146 00:08:49,360 --> 00:08:52,080 but it left him in a tricky position. 147 00:08:52,080 --> 00:08:54,639 Wedged between a pushy big brother 148 00:08:54,639 --> 00:08:57,840 to the south and something even scarier to the north. 149 00:08:58,200 --> 00:09:01,360 >> The only real threat to the development programs of the ruling family 150 00:09:01,360 --> 00:09:04,480 would appear to be Islamic fundamentalism 151 00:09:04,639 --> 00:09:07,000 along the lines of the Iran model. 152 00:09:07,000 --> 00:09:10,960 >> Iran. While Saudi Arabia might see the Qataris 153 00:09:10,960 --> 00:09:14,360 as a little brother, they were at least from the same family. 154 00:09:14,960 --> 00:09:17,960 Iran is extremely different in almost every way. 155 00:09:18,279 --> 00:09:20,919 Different ethnicity, different language, 156 00:09:20,919 --> 00:09:23,919 different religion — Shia instead of Sunni Islam — 157 00:09:23,919 --> 00:09:28,240 and a totally different regime. A fundamentalist theocracy 158 00:09:28,240 --> 00:09:31,840 that had overthrown their monarch in a violent revolution. 159 00:09:34,639 --> 00:09:35,279 >> They would need to find 160 00:09:35,279 --> 00:09:38,279 a bigger, scarier friend. 161 00:09:38,480 --> 00:09:41,480 And so they went to the biggest and scariest friend there is. 162 00:09:41,559 --> 00:09:44,199 >> It's my honour to welcome 163 00:09:44,200 --> 00:09:47,200 the Emir of Qatar to the Oval Office. 164 00:09:47,799 --> 00:09:51,240 >> I'm pretty sure George W. Bush just called him the Emir of Gutter, 165 00:09:51,679 --> 00:09:52,879 but anyway. 166 00:09:52,879 --> 00:09:55,879 >> Your Highness, it's such an honour to have you here. 167 00:09:55,919 --> 00:09:57,479 And I welcome you. 168 00:09:57,480 --> 00:10:00,480 And I want to thank you for your friendship. 169 00:10:01,039 --> 00:10:03,240 >> To secure this new friendship, Hamad agreed 170 00:10:03,240 --> 00:10:06,399 to host an enormous American air base in his country. 171 00:10:06,600 --> 00:10:09,360 >> It's one of the most state-of-the-art ones that you'll find in the region. 172 00:10:09,360 --> 00:10:10,440 >> And to say thanks, 173 00:10:10,440 --> 00:10:14,360 the US moved its regional base of operations to Qatar ahead 174 00:10:14,360 --> 00:10:17,360 of the invasion of Iraq in 2003. 175 00:10:26,159 --> 00:10:27,199 >> This is CENTCOM, the US military's central command. 176 00:10:27,200 --> 00:10:31,320 As a result, Qatar became the epicentre of US military operations in the Middle East. 177 00:10:31,600 --> 00:10:34,240 >> We're here with permission of the Qataris, and we're doing 178 00:10:34,240 --> 00:10:38,159 our best to be good guests. 179 00:10:38,279 --> 00:10:42,240 >> Luring the Americans gave his tiny country a powerful protector against, 180 00:10:42,240 --> 00:10:47,240 at times, aggressive neighbours. But it wasn't just about demonstrating military strength and bringing in guys with big guns. 181 00:10:47,679 --> 00:10:52,879 Hamad wanted to show that Qatar was allied to the west in ideological ways as well. 182 00:10:53,200 --> 00:10:59,120 So he started democratic reforms, then spent millions setting up Al Jazeera. 183 00:10:59,240 --> 00:11:02,080 >> Welcome to the world news from Al Jazeera, 184 00:11:02,080 --> 00:11:05,120 and the very first program live from our Doha news 185 00:11:05,120 --> 00:11:08,120 headquarters here in the heart of the Middle East. 186 00:11:08,279 --> 00:11:12,439 >> By advocating for a freer press in a region where that's not really a thing, 187 00:11:12,840 --> 00:11:17,200 Al Jazeera became both a thorn in the side of authoritarian regimes 188 00:11:17,679 --> 00:11:21,000 and the most important platform for those regimes 189 00:11:21,200 --> 00:11:23,240 to communicate with the wider world. 190 00:11:23,240 --> 00:11:26,680 Just about every government in the region has, for a time, 191 00:11:26,919 --> 00:11:29,120 closed Al Jazeera's bureau. 192 00:11:29,120 --> 00:11:33,080 Some have withdrawn ambassadors from Qatar in protest. 193 00:11:33,399 --> 00:11:36,199 But today, even the toughest Arab leaders have to deal 194 00:11:36,200 --> 00:11:39,280 with Al Jazeera, because it speaks to the people. 195 00:11:39,399 --> 00:11:42,480 >> So, Qatar has become the region's US military 196 00:11:42,480 --> 00:11:45,480 base and centre of information. 197 00:11:45,600 --> 00:11:48,600 But for Hamad, that wasn't enough. 198 00:11:48,600 --> 00:11:52,840 >> Fly to over 80 destinations onboard one of the world's youngest fleets. 199 00:11:53,720 --> 00:11:55,000 Qatar Airways. 200 00:11:55,000 --> 00:11:56,679 World's five-star airline. 201 00:11:56,679 --> 00:12:00,679 >> He dumped investment into Qatar Airways, hoping to turn the Qatari 202 00:12:00,679 --> 00:12:03,879 capital, Doha, into a global business travel hub. 203 00:12:04,000 --> 00:12:07,080 >> Halfway to anywhere with plenty of time to spare. 204 00:12:08,200 --> 00:12:11,200 At the Qatar Airways premium terminal in Doha — 205 00:12:11,240 --> 00:12:14,320 >> five-star service for first and business class passengers. 206 00:12:14,600 --> 00:12:18,159 >> And he spent money trying to get people to actually leave the airport 207 00:12:18,159 --> 00:12:21,159 and see the country, instead of just flying through. 208 00:12:31,879 --> 00:12:34,360 >> Hamad basically bought the FIFA World Cup, 209 00:12:34,360 --> 00:12:38,320 only 50 years after football was first seen in his country. 210 00:12:38,879 --> 00:12:43,000 Then he spent more money on it than every other World Cup in history 211 00:12:43,240 --> 00:12:46,240 combined. 212 00:12:51,840 --> 00:12:52,800 Hosting the World Cup 213 00:12:52,799 --> 00:12:55,799 wasn't just about football. 214 00:12:55,840 --> 00:12:58,399 Qatar wanted to be the place where the world gathered, 215 00:12:58,399 --> 00:13:01,439 where people with nothing in common could come together. 216 00:13:01,879 --> 00:13:07,080 During the tournament, Iran played against its greatest enemy, the United States. 217 00:13:07,240 --> 00:13:10,320 >> Whenever these two teams play anywhere, in any competition, 218 00:13:10,519 --> 00:13:12,079 it brings with it history. 219 00:13:12,080 --> 00:13:14,800 It brings with it culture, it brings with it politics. 220 00:13:14,799 --> 00:13:17,959 >> We talked in last week's episode about how important it is to build 221 00:13:18,039 --> 00:13:22,159 trust and credibility when you're trying to negotiate with your enemies. 222 00:13:22,600 --> 00:13:26,720 Qatar decided to try and be the place where that trust was brokered. 223 00:13:27,000 --> 00:13:30,519 >> Senior Taliban leaders are in Qatar for peace talks with US officials. 224 00:13:30,519 --> 00:13:32,679 >> Qatar welcomed not only the US military to its territory, 225 00:13:32,679 --> 00:13:35,839 but the Taliban. 226 00:13:36,159 --> 00:13:39,519 >> We are prepared to engage the Taliban 227 00:13:39,519 --> 00:13:43,840 through a negotiations office in Doha. 228 00:13:44,120 --> 00:13:48,879 >> With implicit western backing, Qatar hosted offices of the Taliban, 229 00:13:49,159 --> 00:13:53,199 financiers of al-Qaeda, the Muslim Brotherhood and rebel factions 230 00:13:53,799 --> 00:13:57,039 from all over Africa. All of this, just a few kilometres from the regional headquarters 231 00:13:57,279 --> 00:13:59,360 of US Central Command. 232 00:13:59,360 --> 00:14:01,720 It is a very small country, after all. 233 00:14:01,720 --> 00:14:03,800 Not everyone was a fan of this. 234 00:14:03,799 --> 00:14:08,279 It's a small-world style of politics, and Qatar was publicly criticised 235 00:14:08,279 --> 00:14:09,600 for trying to bring these groups together, 236 00:14:09,600 --> 00:14:13,200 particularly by Israel and its supporters. 237 00:14:13,600 --> 00:14:16,800 >> It is quite strange that the Emir of Qatar 238 00:14:17,159 --> 00:14:22,000 should take sides with Hamas. 239 00:14:22,080 --> 00:14:25,920 >> I blame Qatar. That very rich emirate that's been pouring money into the hands of Hamas. 240 00:14:25,919 --> 00:14:30,360 >> Despite publicly disagreeing with what Qatar was doing, behind the scenes 241 00:14:30,360 --> 00:14:34,360 the Israeli government under Benjamin Netanyahu was supportive of it. 242 00:14:34,879 --> 00:14:39,439 >> Netanyahu allowed Qatar to give massive amounts of cash to Hamas in Gaza. 243 00:14:39,440 --> 00:14:43,500 >> Qatar electronically transfers cash to Israel. 244 00:14:43,500 --> 00:14:48,600 That cash is then physically carried over the border by UN officials 245 00:14:48,600 --> 00:14:50,600 and by Israeli officials into Gaza. 246 00:14:50,600 --> 00:14:51,080 >> It was a 247 00:14:51,080 --> 00:14:54,240 divide-and-conquer strategy, with Netanyahu hoping 248 00:14:54,240 --> 00:14:58,279 Hamas would weaken the more moderate Palestinian Authority. 249 00:14:58,440 --> 00:15:01,360 >> We did everything in order to make sure 250 00:15:01,360 --> 00:15:05,840 that Hamas will go on controlling Gaza, and the Palestinian 251 00:15:05,840 --> 00:15:10,000 Authority will control the West Bank, so they will fight each other. 252 00:15:10,120 --> 00:15:14,279 >> So there's money flowing in all sorts of directions for all sorts of reasons. 253 00:15:14,279 --> 00:15:18,799 And Qatar wanted to be at the centre of it. Having a diplomatic and financial 254 00:15:18,799 --> 00:15:22,559 relationship with everybody means nobody will want to attack you. 255 00:15:22,759 --> 00:15:24,200 Simple. 256 00:15:24,200 --> 00:15:26,879 Over the last 50 years, Qatar has grown from being 257 00:15:26,879 --> 00:15:29,919 a strange, barren peninsula with no fun facts 258 00:15:31,120 --> 00:15:34,320 to being home to the richest citizen population on earth, 259 00:15:34,799 --> 00:15:37,679 to being the centre of an enormous, 260 00:15:37,679 --> 00:15:41,159 intricate spiderweb which stretched into the business, 261 00:15:41,440 --> 00:15:46,560 economic, journalistic, tourism, cultural, energy and political worlds. 262 00:15:47,279 --> 00:15:50,839 But Hamad — and after his abdication in 2013, his son 263 00:15:50,840 --> 00:15:54,920 Tamim — didn't do all this for fun, or for ego, or for glory. 264 00:15:55,480 --> 00:15:58,159 It was a long-term strategy of making Qatar 265 00:15:58,159 --> 00:16:01,159 a significant player in world affairs. 266 00:16:01,399 --> 00:16:03,959 If they were at the centre of the web, 267 00:16:03,960 --> 00:16:06,720 they would be too important to mess with. 268 00:16:06,720 --> 00:16:09,120 It was a rational strategy formed during 269 00:16:09,120 --> 00:16:12,120 an era where rational people ran the world. 270 00:16:12,279 --> 00:16:14,839 Their refusal to just sit there and be rich 271 00:16:14,840 --> 00:16:17,000 may have made Saudi Arabia grumpy. 272 00:16:17,000 --> 00:16:19,759 But what was Saudi Arabia going to do about it? 273 00:16:19,759 --> 00:16:21,919 Qatar had made itself too important. 274 00:16:23,120 --> 00:16:24,440 The strategy was all working 275 00:16:24,440 --> 00:16:29,200 very well until around May 2017, when there were hints 276 00:16:29,200 --> 00:16:32,960 that the era of rational strategy may be coming to an end. 277 00:16:34,120 --> 00:16:36,639 >> From bagpipes to men on horseback. 278 00:16:36,639 --> 00:16:40,759 Saudi Arabia turned up the pomp for Donald Trump's first foreign visit. 279 00:16:40,840 --> 00:16:42,519 >> The new US president, Donald Trump, 280 00:16:42,519 --> 00:16:46,559 was invited to the Saudi capital, Riyadh, to dance with swords 281 00:16:46,879 --> 00:16:51,279 and join the Saudi king, Salman, in laying his hands upon a glowing orb. 282 00:16:51,960 --> 00:16:56,440 >> It was a surprising destination for Trump's first foreign trip as president. 283 00:16:56,759 --> 00:17:00,439 >> Donald Trump has been welcomed to Saudi Arabia with open arms, 284 00:17:00,639 --> 00:17:04,279 despite his campaign rhetoric depicting the Saudis as woman-hating 285 00:17:04,279 --> 00:17:07,960 gay killers and promising a ban on Muslim travel. 286 00:17:08,119 --> 00:17:12,719 >> Before he left, the Saudis agreed to a massive trade and weapons deal. 287 00:17:12,880 --> 00:17:18,200 >> Around $147 billion in US arms sales to Saudi Arabia, 288 00:17:18,519 --> 00:17:21,519 and $270 billion in other trade. 289 00:17:22,000 --> 00:17:26,319 >> Two weeks after Trump's visit, the Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, ordered 290 00:17:26,319 --> 00:17:31,799 an extraordinary military operation against Qatar. Saudi Arabia, Egypt, 291 00:17:31,799 --> 00:17:36,839 the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain imposed an aggressive blockade on Qatar. 292 00:17:37,400 --> 00:17:41,400 Land, air and sea routes in and out of Qatar were blocked. 293 00:17:41,559 --> 00:17:45,720 >> The four blockade countries alleged Qatar used its wealth to fund extremist 294 00:17:45,720 --> 00:17:49,880 groups linked to Iran. >> They demanded that Qatar decrease 295 00:17:49,880 --> 00:17:54,120 its diplomatic and military engagement with Iran and Turkey, 296 00:17:54,559 --> 00:17:57,559 kick terrorist groups out of the country, 297 00:17:57,640 --> 00:18:02,240 and shut down its government-funded broadcaster, Al Jazeera. 298 00:18:02,400 --> 00:18:05,400 >> The US military and State Department were shocked. 299 00:18:05,559 --> 00:18:10,519 >> The US has 10,000 troops at a critical air base in Qatar. 300 00:18:11,039 --> 00:18:14,279 American diplomats rushed to stop any fallout. 301 00:18:14,400 --> 00:18:19,200 >> While the Clinton, Bush and Obama administrations had seen Qatar as an ally, 302 00:18:19,599 --> 00:18:23,439 this time around, the vibe from the White House was very different. 303 00:18:23,759 --> 00:18:28,680 >> The US president even took credit for the crackdown on Qatar, tweeting: 304 00:18:28,720 --> 00:18:32,400 "Perhaps this will be the beginning of the end to the horror of terrorism." 305 00:18:32,400 --> 00:18:35,880 >> I've heard reports that President Trump didn't even realise that 306 00:18:35,880 --> 00:18:39,720 the United States had a base within Qatar, which is pretty alarming. 307 00:18:39,920 --> 00:18:43,320 >> It turns out, hosting a US military headquarters isn't 308 00:18:43,440 --> 00:18:47,640 a great insurance policy if the US president doesn't know it exists. 309 00:18:48,119 --> 00:18:50,919 Thankfully, Trump had some people in his cabinet 310 00:18:50,920 --> 00:18:53,680 who were aware of the significance of Qatar. 311 00:18:53,680 --> 00:18:58,720 >> We call on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain 312 00:18:59,279 --> 00:19:02,639 and Egypt to ease the blockade against Qatar. 313 00:19:03,279 --> 00:19:04,920 >> A group of Trump cabinet officials, 314 00:19:04,920 --> 00:19:07,920 informally referred to as the "axis of adults", 315 00:19:08,279 --> 00:19:12,119 basically ignored his instructions and shored up the relationship with Qatar. 316 00:19:12,400 --> 00:19:14,640 >> The blockade is also impairing US 317 00:19:14,640 --> 00:19:17,640 and other international business activities in the region. 318 00:19:17,720 --> 00:19:19,160 >> The blockade is hindering US 319 00:19:19,160 --> 00:19:22,519 military actions in the region and the campaign against ISIS. 320 00:19:22,839 --> 00:19:26,240 >> Eventually, the blockade was eased and officially ended 321 00:19:26,240 --> 00:19:29,240 in the early months of the Biden administration. 322 00:19:29,279 --> 00:19:32,440 >> Qatar didn't cave in to any of the Saudi demands. 323 00:19:32,920 --> 00:19:35,840 They survived the blockade with their strategy intact, 324 00:19:35,839 --> 00:19:40,279 and their importance as a location for resolving disputes between enemies 325 00:19:40,640 --> 00:19:45,759 only increased. Following the October 7 attacks by Hamas on Israel, 326 00:19:45,960 --> 00:19:49,880 Qatar was the only mediator able to get both sides to the table 327 00:19:50,200 --> 00:19:53,240 for ceasefire and hostage release negotiations. 328 00:19:53,440 --> 00:19:57,240 >> With officials in Doha insisting talks can continue 329 00:19:57,279 --> 00:20:02,160 if both Israel and Hamas show a willingness to negotiate in good faith. 330 00:20:02,240 --> 00:20:05,839 >> In a world ruled by rational people, you need a safe place for those people 331 00:20:05,839 --> 00:20:09,159 to be able to talk to each other while they sort out key differences — 332 00:20:09,480 --> 00:20:12,799 somewhere bitter enemies can come and sit at a table 333 00:20:13,039 --> 00:20:15,359 and try and find common ground, without worrying 334 00:20:15,359 --> 00:20:18,599 they're going to get poisoned or stabbed in the middle of the night. 335 00:20:19,440 --> 00:20:21,519 >> Qatar was that place. 336 00:20:21,519 --> 00:20:26,240 But then Donald Trump returned to the White House, and things started changing. 337 00:20:28,960 --> 00:20:31,960 >> A brazen attack in Qatar's capital. 338 00:20:33,880 --> 00:20:34,840 >> Israeli forces 339 00:20:34,839 --> 00:20:38,919 targeting Hamas's political headquarters in a residential area of Doha. 340 00:20:39,200 --> 00:20:42,720 >> Decades spent shoring up their position as an important ally of the west 341 00:20:43,000 --> 00:20:46,559 had failed to protect Qatar from Israeli airstrikes. 342 00:20:47,000 --> 00:20:49,799 Hamas's political leadership had reportedly gathered in Doha 343 00:20:49,799 --> 00:20:53,359 to discuss the latest US proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza. 344 00:20:53,640 --> 00:20:54,759 It wasn't the first time 345 00:20:54,759 --> 00:20:58,599 that Hamas's leadership had been in Qatar to talk with the Americans and Israelis, 346 00:20:59,160 --> 00:21:02,680 but Bibi Netanyahu saw an opportunity this time to strike 347 00:21:02,680 --> 00:21:05,680 without any fear of ramifications. 348 00:21:05,799 --> 00:21:09,720 >> These are the terrorist chiefs who planned, 349 00:21:10,680 --> 00:21:14,759 launched and celebrated the massacres of October 7. 350 00:21:14,759 --> 00:21:17,759 >> The Qatari government called it state terrorism. 351 00:21:17,920 --> 00:21:20,920 Any other US president would have been furious. 352 00:21:20,920 --> 00:21:23,320 Donald Trump, though — 353 00:21:23,319 --> 00:21:26,319 >> Well, I'm not thrilled. I'm not thrilled about it. 354 00:21:26,440 --> 00:21:27,400 Not jazzed. Not psyched. 355 00:21:28,519 --> 00:21:31,799 >> There was no condemnation of Israel, no axis of adults 356 00:21:31,799 --> 00:21:34,799 to give Israel a rap on the knuckles and tell them to stop. 357 00:21:34,960 --> 00:21:38,240 In fact, when Netanyahu suggested just a few months later that it might be 358 00:21:38,240 --> 00:21:43,720 a good idea to attack Iran during peace negotiations with the US, Trump joined in. 359 00:21:43,920 --> 00:21:46,960 >> The Israeli-US joint strikes began in broad daylight, 360 00:21:47,000 --> 00:21:49,960 hitting multiple Iranian cities, including the capital. 361 00:21:49,960 --> 00:21:55,079 >> Iran responded with fury, firing missiles at anyone within reach. 362 00:21:55,519 --> 00:21:59,000 For hours, missiles crisscrossed Middle Eastern skies. Warning 363 00:21:59,000 --> 00:21:59,920 sirens blared. 364 00:21:59,920 --> 00:22:01,440 Israelis ran for cover. 365 00:22:01,440 --> 00:22:03,640 Missiles were also fired towards Qatar. 366 00:22:03,640 --> 00:22:07,480 >> In Doha, Qatar's military has been intercepting missiles 367 00:22:07,720 --> 00:22:11,600 aimed at a US air base and the international airport. 368 00:22:11,599 --> 00:22:16,919 >> Iran targeted Qatari gas infrastructure in retaliation to a strike on its major 369 00:22:16,960 --> 00:22:22,160 gas field, wiping out 17% of capacity for up to five years. 370 00:22:22,440 --> 00:22:28,360 >> Decades of planning, investment and diplomacy by the Qataris went up in smoke. 371 00:22:28,720 --> 00:22:31,480 >> The Qatari government has labelled the strike a flagrant 372 00:22:31,480 --> 00:22:32,920 breach of international law. 373 00:22:32,920 --> 00:22:37,960 >> The trouble is, international law doesn't really apply during the Jungle Times. 374 00:22:39,440 --> 00:22:40,640 Qatar has always 375 00:22:40,640 --> 00:22:43,640 been incredibly vulnerable geographically, 376 00:22:43,799 --> 00:22:46,960 so it spent decades building strategic security. 377 00:22:47,720 --> 00:22:50,000 It played the game better than most. 378 00:22:50,000 --> 00:22:52,519 But that game is over now. 379 00:22:52,519 --> 00:22:54,319 Alliances don't matter. 380 00:22:54,319 --> 00:22:57,319 The people with the power don't think about consequences. 381 00:22:57,880 --> 00:23:01,000 In the Jungle Times, strength is the only thing that matters. 382 00:23:01,319 --> 00:23:04,000 And Trump, Netanyahu and Mohammed 383 00:23:04,000 --> 00:23:07,000 bin Salman in Saudi Arabia have the strength. 384 00:23:07,839 --> 00:23:10,279 Qatar will survive this crisis. 385 00:23:10,279 --> 00:23:13,519 They're still rich and they still have the US military on their side, 386 00:23:14,240 --> 00:23:17,079 but they will not feel nearly as secure. 387 00:23:17,079 --> 00:23:20,319 Will people continue to choose Qatar as a place for negotiating 388 00:23:20,720 --> 00:23:23,360 if they're worried about Israeli airstrikes? 389 00:23:23,359 --> 00:23:25,359 Will people invest and travel there 390 00:23:25,359 --> 00:23:28,359 if Iran might bomb them at any moment? 391 00:23:28,640 --> 00:23:31,040 Is the relationship with America secure 392 00:23:31,039 --> 00:23:35,359 if the US president doesn't even know that Qatar is home to the most important 393 00:23:35,359 --> 00:23:39,119 American military base in the world's most volatile region? 394 00:23:40,359 --> 00:23:43,439 Qatar was under the impression it had solved the problem 395 00:23:43,440 --> 00:23:46,640 of being a small country in a scary neighbourhood. 396 00:23:48,079 --> 00:23:49,720 It hasn't. 397 00:23:49,720 --> 00:23:51,920 This is the Jungle Times. 398 00:23:51,920 --> 00:23:55,680 If you're not big and scary, you need to find a tree to hide in.