How Donald Trump’s Tweets Escalated The Crisis In Qatar
10,000 American troops are currently stationed in Qatar and Trump’s reckless tweets are putting them at risk.
Donald Trump essentially threw gasoline on the already burning crisis in the Middle East regarding Qatar. With a series of hasty tweets Tuesday, Trump escalated the growing crisis in the Middle East.
Trump fired off three tweets Tuesday morning blasting Qatar and praising its neighboring countries for moving to isolate the nation.
During my recent trip to the Middle East I stated that there can no longer be funding of Radical Ideology. Leaders pointed to Qatar – look!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 6, 2017
So good to see the Saudi Arabia visit with the King and 50 countries already paying off. They said they would take a hard line on funding…
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 6, 2017
…extremism, and all reference was pointing to Qatar. Perhaps this will be the beginning of the end to the horror of terrorism!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 6, 2017
Trump is taking sides in a regional disagreement despite the fact that U.S. officials have taken great pains to avoid taking sides.
The moves by Saudi Arabia and other countries in the region are already having the impact of pushing Qatar closer towards Iran.
By escalating the crisis with his tweets, Trump puts 10,000 American troops who are currently stationed in Qatar at risk.
And Trump’s statements contradict the statements of his own State Department on the situation, forcing the State Department to answer questions about why the President is contradicting them.
“I can’t help you with that,” Pentagon spokesman Capt. Jeff Davis said in response to a question about Trump’s tweets.
“I will only tell you that we have, with regard to our bases there, continued presence in our operations.”
