Columbia International Affairs Online: Working Papers

CIAO DATE: 10/2014

Qatar and the Recalibration of Power in the Gulf

Lina Khatib

September 2014

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Abstract

Long a minor regional actor in the shadow of Saudi Arabia, Qatar wants to increase its influence. But Doha’s expansionist foreign policy has been plagued by miscalculations, domestic challenges, and international pressure—all issues connected to Doha’s relationship with Riyadh. As a result of these setbacks, Qatar’s regional role has diminished, and for the foreseeable future, its external influence is likely to remain under the direction of Saudi Arabia.