Qatar says it could intervene militarily in Syria | World Defense

Qatar says it could intervene militarily in Syria

UAE

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Qatar says it could intervene militarily in Syria



452c188d-d7cb-454b-ad67-b4b2f626c598_16x9_788x442.jpg

In this photo taken on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2015, a Syrian army soldier fires a cannon in Latakia province, about 12 from the border with Turkey in Syria. Backed by Russian airstrikes, the Syrian army has launched an offensive in central and northwestern regions. (AP)

By Reuters, AFP Dubai/Moscow Wednesday, 21 October 2015
Qatar, a major supporter of rebels in Syria’s civil war, suggested it could intervene militarily following Russia’s intervention in support of President Bashar al-Assad but said it still preferred a political solution to the crisis.

The comments by Qatar’s foreign minister, made in a CNN interview on Wednesday, drew a swift reply from Assad’s government with a senior official warning that Damascus would respond harshly to such “direct aggression”.

Gulf Arab backers of Syrian rebels such as Qatar have been unsettled by Russia’s three-week-old air strike campaign that has allowed Assad’s forces to wrest back some territory to help secure his strongholds in western Syria.

Qatar has been a leading supporter of anti-Assad rebel groups, providing arms and financial and political backing.

Asked by CNN if Qatar supported the Saudi position that does not rule out a military option in Syria as a result of Russia’s intervention, Foreign Minister Khalid al-Attiyah said: “Anything that protects the Syrian people and Syria from partition, we will not spare any effort to carry it out with our Saudi and Turkish brothers, no matter what this is.

“If a military intervention will protect the Syrian people from the brutality of the regime, we will do it,” he added, according to a text in Arabic carried by Qatar’s state news agency QNA.

His comments were also carried on CNN’s Arabic website.

In response, Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad was quoted by Lebanon-based al-Mayadeen television as saying: “If Qatar carries out its threat to militarily intervene in Syria, then we will consider this a direct aggression ... Our response will be very harsh.”

Attiyah also said Qatar preferred to solve regional crises through direct political dialogue.

“We do not fear any confrontation, and thus we will call for dialogue from a position of strength because we believe in peace and the shortest path to peace is through direct dialogue.”

Qatar is a small but wealthy gas exporter that played a major role in supporting Islamist opposition groups during Arab Spring uprisings in 2011 in Libya and Syria.

Lavrov and Kerry to discuss Syria
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will meet on Friday in Vienna to discuss the Syrian conflict together with their counterparts from Turkey and Saudi Arabia, Moscow said Wednesday.

Russia’s foreign ministry made the announcement after a phone call between Lavrov and Kerry and following the surprise visit by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to Moscow on Tuesday.

“The main focus was the situation in Syria in the context of preparations for the meeting between the (Russian) minister and Secretary of State in Vienna on October 23 where they will be joined by Saudi and Turkish foreign ministers,” the ministry said in a statement.

Moscow also said that Lavrov proposed that a meeting of the “Quartet” of Middle East peace mediators -- Russia, the United States, the European Union and United Nations -- be held the same day, given the “extremely tense situation” in the Middle East.

http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2015/10/21/Qatar-says-could-intervene-militarily-in-Syria-but-prefers-political-solution.html

@BLACKEAGLE @Scorpion @Gasoline @Falcon29
 

Falcon29

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I am sure they mean weapons shipments? Otherwise military intervention on their own won't work. And keep in mind this time there is US/NATO backing. The only possible thing is Turkish-Saudi-GCC no fly zone. Egypt won't take part. Now I doubt Turkey is willing to sacrifice it's soil for this because it will likely cause war which West will stay out of. Honestly it looks too late now, I will explain why in the Syria thread.
 

Gasoline

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Qatar says it could intervene militarily in Syria



452c188d-d7cb-454b-ad67-b4b2f626c598_16x9_788x442.jpg

In this photo taken on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2015, a Syrian army soldier fires a cannon in Latakia province, about 12 from the border with Turkey in Syria. Backed by Russian airstrikes, the Syrian army has launched an offensive in central and northwestern regions. (AP)

By Reuters, AFP Dubai/Moscow Wednesday, 21 October 2015
Qatar, a major supporter of rebels in Syria’s civil war, suggested it could intervene militarily following Russia’s intervention in support of President Bashar al-Assad but said it still preferred a political solution to the crisis.

The comments by Qatar’s foreign minister, made in a CNN interview on Wednesday, drew a swift reply from Assad’s government with a senior official warning that Damascus would respond harshly to such “direct aggression”.

Gulf Arab backers of Syrian rebels such as Qatar have been unsettled by Russia’s three-week-old air strike campaign that has allowed Assad’s forces to wrest back some territory to help secure his strongholds in western Syria.

Qatar has been a leading supporter of anti-Assad rebel groups, providing arms and financial and political backing.

Asked by CNN if Qatar supported the Saudi position that does not rule out a military option in Syria as a result of Russia’s intervention, Foreign Minister Khalid al-Attiyah said: “Anything that protects the Syrian people and Syria from partition, we will not spare any effort to carry it out with our Saudi and Turkish brothers, no matter what this is.

“If a military intervention will protect the Syrian people from the brutality of the regime, we will do it,” he added, according to a text in Arabic carried by Qatar’s state news agency QNA.

His comments were also carried on CNN’s Arabic website.

In response, Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad was quoted by Lebanon-based al-Mayadeen television as saying: “If Qatar carries out its threat to militarily intervene in Syria, then we will consider this a direct aggression ... Our response will be very harsh.”

Attiyah also said Qatar preferred to solve regional crises through direct political dialogue.

“We do not fear any confrontation, and thus we will call for dialogue from a position of strength because we believe in peace and the shortest path to peace is through direct dialogue.”

Qatar is a small but wealthy gas exporter that played a major role in supporting Islamist opposition groups during Arab Spring uprisings in 2011 in Libya and Syria.

Lavrov and Kerry to discuss Syria
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will meet on Friday in Vienna to discuss the Syrian conflict together with their counterparts from Turkey and Saudi Arabia, Moscow said Wednesday.

Russia’s foreign ministry made the announcement after a phone call between Lavrov and Kerry and following the surprise visit by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to Moscow on Tuesday.

“The main focus was the situation in Syria in the context of preparations for the meeting between the (Russian) minister and Secretary of State in Vienna on October 23 where they will be joined by Saudi and Turkish foreign ministers,” the ministry said in a statement.

Moscow also said that Lavrov proposed that a meeting of the “Quartet” of Middle East peace mediators -- Russia, the United States, the European Union and United Nations -- be held the same day, given the “extremely tense situation” in the Middle East.

http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2015/10/21/Qatar-says-could-intervene-militarily-in-Syria-but-prefers-political-solution.html

@BLACKEAGLE @Scorpion @Gasoline @Falcon29

Let's wait for Friday meeting and see what will happen. I'm optimistic that we could reach to a solution for the Syrian case. ≈ç∂ß

Glad they're not giving Mullah terrorists any value. Only the major players who can sit on the table ,negotiate ,put the solutions and implement it.œ∑¥
 

Scorpion

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Qatar refers to a collation not by itself. I mean logically man Qatar won't be able to handle that alone.
 

T-123456

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Qatar refers to a collation not by itself. I mean logically man Qatar won't be able to handle that alone.
Its not about being able to handle it,there needs to be a start,why not Qatar start it,the rest(Turkiye,GCC) should/must and will follow.
Someting has to be done,why not this way?
 

Scorpion

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Its not about being able to handle it,there needs to be a start,why not Qatar start it,the rest(Turkiye,GCC) should/must and will follow.
Someting has to be done,why not this way?

Let's wait and see what the meeting comes about.

The top diplomats of Russia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United States started key talks on Friday in Vienna to try to find a way to end the Syrian conflict.

http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2015/10/23/Russia-backs-wider-more-inclusive-Syria-talks.html
 

Falcon29

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Its not about being able to handle it,there needs to be a start,why not Qatar start it,the rest(Turkiye,GCC) should/must and will follow.
Someting has to be done,why not this way?

What can they do on their own? Time is not on their hands. And then question is how much they're willing to risk proportionat to how much they invested in conflict. Aleppo is being targeted for a reason , to cut rebel supply line and beisege Idlib. ISIS can be dealt with later, ISIS is beneficial to the regime since ISIS being main representative of opposition(If moderate rebels defeated) is win win for them.

They are not going to do anything, mark my words. Even political settlement will be entirely in favor of regime. Moderate rebels will be forced to disarm then ethnic cleansing of Sunni areas by Kurds/Shia will occur and be protected by political settlement. So many Sunnis already fled that the once SUnni majority country may become Shia majority if they win the war. So Iraq plus Syria shia majority, means they will force their way in Bahrain and Lebanon next then target Saudi Arabia.
 

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Qatar rules out military intervention in Syria| Reuters

Qatar's Foreign Minister Khalid al-Attiyah has ruled out sending troops to fight Syria's government, Qatari-owned Al Jazeera English quoted him as saying on Wednesday.

A week ago Attiyah had suggested the tiny gas-rich Gulf state and major supporter of Syrian opposition forces battling President Bashar al-Assad could launch a military intervention in response to a Russian air campaign backing Assad.

"No, this is out of the question to have our soldiers' (feet) on the ground ... No, no, they can liberate their country themselves. What they want is financial support, they want people to listen to them," Attiyah told the network.

Qatar's Gulf Arab allies, especially regional powerhouse Saudi Arabia, oppose Russia's month-old air campaign that has allowed Assad's forces to win back some territory.

Assad's government has accused the Gulf states of backing what it calls terrorist groups in the country, something they deny.

Qatar has helped in arming, training and giving political support to the rebels throughout most of the four-year-old war, but Attiyah had appeared to suggest a more direct role was being considered in an interview with CNN last week.

Qatar will join key Assad supporter Iran as well as Saudi Arabia, the United States, Russia and other key regional and Western countries in a significant peace conference on Syria set for Vienna on Friday.

The meeting will bring Gulf states face to face for the first time with their arch-rival Iran as they seek peace in Syria, in a move that may help defuse conflicts raging across the Arab world in which the two camps back opposing sides.

Attiyah said he supported dialogue between the two sides.

"What we are seeing and what we are fearing is an Arab-Persian conflict which we want to avoid," Attiyah said, urging Iran to "calm down (its) language... to help facilitate" dialogue.
 

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My little knowledge on the issue says that Qatar can only intervene financially but not militarily. I have this question in my mind about that anti-Assad rebel group in Syria. Is that the ISIS or is it another faction fighting the government? As with Qatar's statement, it seems to me that there are many countries interested in Syria aside from Russia, there is also the US and maybe UK as well.
 

Falcon29

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My little knowledge on the issue says that Qatar can only intervene financially but not militarily. I have this question in my mind about that anti-Assad rebel group in Syria. Is that the ISIS or is it another faction fighting the government? As with Qatar's statement, it seems to me that there are many countries interested in Syria aside from Russia, there is also the US and maybe UK as well.

There are plenty of anti-Assad groups in Syria. One of them is ISIS, one of is Nusra Front which is based in portions of Northern Idlib. One of is Jaysh Al Islam which is based around Damascus, if you hear anything about 'Ghouta' that is the city they're in. Then you have Ahrar Al Shaam which is based around Idlib and Aleppo. These are some of bigger groups, the rest all fight under banner called 'Army of Conquest'. ISIS is not part of this coalition. ISIS is acting on its own.

Yes you are correct, Syria is important to the locals. For Iran, Syria is a country which Alawites(Shia sect) control even though they're minority. They want the country to remain controlled by them and there have been pro-Iran militias there for a while now. They want to increase demographics of Shia as well. For Iran it wants to restore its historical influence, especially around Syria/Iraq. Iranians consider Iraq to be part of Persia. For Saudi Arabia, Iran is a hostile state to Arabs and Arab Muslims. Because in the past, after Muhammad's death the Arabs got in war with Persian Empire and the Persian Empire collapsed. Hence Persians have a grudge against Arabs, and Saudi considers them hostile, doesn't want them to takeover more countries.

Then you have Turkey, which is majority Sunni Muslim. It doesn't want Kurds to carve a state out of Syria. It also has bad history with Assad regime.

Then Israel, it is watching the situation as a stalemate and won't get involved. But if Assad regime nears collapse Israel will make arrangements with US to prepare for possible military operation in Syria against anti-Assad rebel groups.
 

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I didn't know that Sunni Muslims is the majority in Turkey. All along, I thought Turkey is a melting point of numerous religions like Christians and Orthodox plus Muslims. But anyway, it looks like Turkey has a tribal problem because of the intramurals of those groups. And not comes ISIS in Syria so how can Turkey launch a protracted and unified attack? I guess that war in Syria would be a lengthy one.
 

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I didn't know that Sunni Muslims is the majority in Turkey. All along, I thought Turkey is a melting point of numerous religions like Christians and Orthodox plus Muslims. But anyway, it looks like Turkey has a tribal problem because of the intramurals of those groups. And not comes ISIS in Syria so how can Turkey launch a protracted and unified attack? I guess that war in Syria would be a lengthy one.

Turkeys main internal issue is Kurdish seperatism. Otherwise it doesn't face much threats. Threats from ISIS are very minor at this point. Turkey won't attack Syria, unless it sees Kurds expanding across all of northern Syria hence share the whole border with Turkey in that case. If that happens Turkey will feel threatened and do some military attack but not too much. Right now no one will get involved in Syria militarily besides what we already see. Russia assisting regime and US assisting Kurds.
 

Corzhens

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So it is Russia for President Erdogan and the US for the other side which are the Kurds. Gee, that is a scary situation that may also happen here. The Muslims are in a separatist stance now with their pending bill to give them what looks like total autonomy. They will have their own police, taxation and some other authorities that will give them freedom from intervention by the government. I hope we wouldn't be another Turkey.
 

Falcon29

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So it is Russia for President Erdogan and the US for the other side which are the Kurds. Gee, that is a scary situation that may also happen here. The Muslims are in a separatist stance now with their pending bill to give them what looks like total autonomy. They will have their own police, taxation and some other authorities that will give them freedom from intervention by the government. I hope we wouldn't be another Turkey.

No it isn't, Russia and Turkey don't really get along. Because of historical reasons as well. US is pro-Kurd but won't agree for them to carve out the state. US and Turkey have some disagreements in Syria but Turkey is slowly distancing itself from conflict with exception of how much territory Kurds or ISIS capture on their border.
 

Rowe992

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Qatar should just stay out of this mess and try to improve on its border security and hope to keep out these Islamist terrorist out of Qatar. They can't do much on their own anyways.
 
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