Qatar and its Armed Forces

In the words of a leading observer of Qatar, “military and security arrangements [in the Shaykhdom] underwrite the larger context within which U.S.–Qatari relations unfold,” which captures the essence of the small country’s security dilemmas.¹ For unlike most of its neighbors, with the probable exception of Bahrain, Doha lacks a credible military force of its own that, without prejudice or embarassment, necessitates vital associations with stronger powers. The quandary presented itself in concrete terms as the ruling Al Thani family chose between regional and international partners, struggling with family ties that swiveled around tested traditions with Sa‘udi Arabia, with