With Friends Like Qatar

U.S. warplanes and cruise missiles have begun attacking Islamic State targets in Syria. They have been joined by aircraft from several Arab nations, including curiously from Qatar.

The Qatari contribution to this air campaign is symptomatic of the strategic morass in which we now find ourselves.

Qatar is arguably the country that has been the world’s most aggressive international supporter of jihadists. Among its contributions to the global jihad have been; underwriting, enabling and providing ideological leadership to the Muslim Brotherhood; financing al Qaeda; hosting the Taliban – including the five commanders illegally released from Guantanamo by President Obama; operating the jihadist’s propaganda arm, al Jazeera; and supporting “rebels” in Syria, apparently including some it is now bombing.

With friends like Qatar, America will have no shortage of enemies.