Tuesday, March 6, 2018

Qatar : Drop Hamas sanctions, or we won't buy the F15

(Doha) Oil rich Qatar has warned Congress that pending legislation to sanction Hamas sponsors contains language that “unfairly” targets Doha and could jeopardize a $6.2 billion contract signed in December for 36 F-15s

If the bill by Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla., becomes law, would allow the US to slash defence sales and exports and freeze credit or loan guarantees above $10 million to backers of Hamas, which the United States considers a terrorist organization. The chairman and top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee both support the bill, which alleges that Hamas has received “significant financial and military support” from Qatar.

Personally I can't see what the problem is, but hey we are talking abut a country which has become persona non grata with the entire Arab world over its links to...Islamic terrorism. The government and individual Qataris have given financial and political support to two terrorist groups – the Muslim Brotherhood and its Palestinian offshoot, Hamas.

Qatar’s support for the Brotherhood stems from its need to demonstrate its commitment to Islam to avoid becoming a target of extremists, especially given its Western orientation and willingness to host the U.S. military. But in siding with the Brotherhood, Qatar is at odds with other countries – particularly Egypt – that see the group as a threat to their regimes.

In addition to supporting the Muslim Brotherhood, Qatar is the principal financier of Hamas, Whilst Qatar claims it only supports economic projects in the Gaza Strip, which is controlled by Hamas. The money Qatar funnels to Hamas frees up money that the terrorist group can use to build rockets and terrorist tunnels to threaten Israel.,Moreover, individual Qataris may be providing direct assistance to Hamas. Qatar also has served as a haven for Hamas terrorists such as Khaled Mashaal.