I T TAKES AN hour to drive to the shimmering towers of Doha from the sun-baked tarmac of Al-Udeid air base. For America, though, the journey took eight years. In 2013 the Taliban set up a diplomatic mission in the Qatari capital. Opened with America's consent, the office was meant to launch a peace process that would end the American war in Afghanistan. The ending, of course, was not as America hoped. Like the talks that preceded it, last month's frantic airlift out of Kabul relied heavily on Qatar. Of the 120,000 people America flew out of Afghanistan, almost half passed through Al-Udeid (pictured). The tiny emirate, home to just 3m people (only 20% of them citizens), thus played a central role in the beginning of the end, and the end itself. Now it has a vital role as an interlocutor between Afghanistan's new rulers and the West—but it may struggle to deliver much for either side. Before the Arab spring in 2011, Qatar built a reputation as a mediator in regional disputes. It juggled all sorts of contradictory relationships: on pleasant terms with Iran, for example, but also host to American soldiers. It welcomed feuding factions from Yemen, Sudan… Read full this story
- HK has unique role in 'dual-circulation' plan
- Kate Middleton comforts a young boy whose father was killed in Afghanistan and says it's 'very special' that he's wearing 'Daddy's three medals' as she and Prince William make video calls to mark Remembrance Week
- Afghanistan: How Fatima Gailani wants to make peace with the Taliban
- Pompeo meets with Taliban's political chief as historic Afghanistan peace talks begin in Qatar
- Mike Pompeo Says U.S. Set for Full Troop Withdrawal From Afghanistan by Spring 2021
- Afghanistan: Attack on Kabul University leaves many dead
- Afghanistan’s Only Known Jewish Citizen: Peace Talks Must Protect Minorities
- Deadly truck bomb rocks Afghanistan amid peace talks
- U.S. and Taliban agree to "re-set" as Afghanistan peace deal marred by spiraling carnage
- Afghanistan attack: Three assailants kill 20, injure over 40 people in Kabul University
Qatar’s unique role in Afghanistan have 333 words, post on www.economist.com at September 11, 2021. This is cached page on Vietnam Colors. If you want remove this page, please contact us.