Assessing the U.S.-Qatar Relationship

Qatar has been known to be a permissive environment for terror financing, reportedly funding U. S. designated foreign terrorist organizations, such as Hamas, as well as several extremist groups operating in Syria. In 2014, the former deputy director of CIA, David Cohen, called out Qatar publicly along with the Kuwaitis, because according to him, "The private engagement with these countries had not achieved what we were trying to achieve." Qatar has openly housed Hamas leaders, Taliban leaders, and has several individuals who have been sanctioned by our U. S. Treasury Department, and it has failed to prosecute them. At least one high-ranking Qatari official provided support to the mastermind of the 9/11 terror attacks against [the United States], Khalid Sheikh Mohammad. Hamas leader, Khaled Meshaal, also made Doha his headquarters for years while the Qatari's-with the Qatari's Government support and even the Muslim Brotherhood has received significant support from Qatar. According to the 2015 country reports on terrorism, the State Department stated, "Entities and individuals within Qatar continue to serve as a source of financial support for terrorists and violent extremist groups, particularly regional al-Qaeda affiliates such as the Nusra front."