1 thought on “The World Cup in Qatar and “Personal Freedom” Make the Islamic State Very Angry”
pre-Boomer Marine brat
It’s (cough) interesting that the Emirate of Qatar is being condemned as Westernized-apostate-kaffir-etc — though it’s understandable that ISIS is who’s doing it.
The previous Emir was oft-noted for supporting the Muslim Brotherhood and its military wing Hamas, and both wings of the Taliban. In his day, Al Jazeera/Arabic was the de facto voice of the Emirate’s foreign policy. Yusuf al-Qaradawi was Al-J/A’s theological guru and broadcasting centerpiece. Al-J/A had hung posters celebrating ObL in its Doha studios, and in the 2000s was able to openly embed correspondents in Taliban combat units. In 2008, Al-J’s Beirut bureau chief gave Samir Kuntar an on-the-air birthday party, calling him a “pan-Arab hero”. Various Al Thani enterprises were known as centers of fund-raising for radical Islamist causes. In effect, Qatar could be called, one of the most-Jihadist of the Muslim national governments, following Sudan and Iran.
It’s also understandable that today’s Qatar bid for the World Cup games. Back in the prior Emir’s day, Al Udeid Air Base hosted the forward HQs of the US and British military’s regional commands. The Emir was pleased to have them, as camouflage. I admittedly don’t follow soccer, but would like to suggest that politically, and “culturally”, this World Cup might be something of the same.
Kyle Orton's Blog 
It’s (cough) interesting that the Emirate of Qatar is being condemned as Westernized-apostate-kaffir-etc — though it’s understandable that ISIS is who’s doing it.
The previous Emir was oft-noted for supporting the Muslim Brotherhood and its military wing Hamas, and both wings of the Taliban. In his day, Al Jazeera/Arabic was the de facto voice of the Emirate’s foreign policy. Yusuf al-Qaradawi was Al-J/A’s theological guru and broadcasting centerpiece. Al-J/A had hung posters celebrating ObL in its Doha studios, and in the 2000s was able to openly embed correspondents in Taliban combat units. In 2008, Al-J’s Beirut bureau chief gave Samir Kuntar an on-the-air birthday party, calling him a “pan-Arab hero”. Various Al Thani enterprises were known as centers of fund-raising for radical Islamist causes. In effect, Qatar could be called, one of the most-Jihadist of the Muslim national governments, following Sudan and Iran.
It’s also understandable that today’s Qatar bid for the World Cup games. Back in the prior Emir’s day, Al Udeid Air Base hosted the forward HQs of the US and British military’s regional commands. The Emir was pleased to have them, as camouflage. I admittedly don’t follow soccer, but would like to suggest that politically, and “culturally”, this World Cup might be something of the same.
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