Qatar to replace Saudi Arabia as the leader of the Islamic world

Qatar immediately appeared as a key player in the current drama. Doha has played a mediating role for over ten years between the various forces, internal and foreign, involved in Afghanistan, including the Taliban. From all this, it is clear that the small state of Qatar has clear ideas on what to do: to marry Riyadh as the leader of the Islamic world. By taking power in Afghanistan, the small Gulf state intends to override its neighbors and lead the coming decisions of the Arab world. The role of the Qatari government, however, is not limited to organizing talks between the various actors involved in Afghanistan. All of this goes to Saudi Arabia’s expenses, the first country to reopen in Qatar to please the United States. And it is bizarre but dramatically real that it is precisely in collaboration with the United States that Doha is putting aside the historical leadership of the Islamic world. Doha has always claimed not to support the Taliban, but to carry out mediation work demanded by Washington. To understand why such a small state is taking such a risky responsibility, it is necessary to consider the foreign policy strategy that Qatar has been pursuing for several years. In acting as a mediator between the United States and its local allies on the one hand and their historical adversaries on the other, Doha believes that it will find its own precise and irreplaceable strategic location. That would give Qatari leadership guarantees regarding its safety and power.