This refers to the editorial, “The Saudi-Qatar face-off” (June 7). The london terror strikes seem to have jolted some countries in the Arab world into action against terrorism at long last. In what may be described as a well-coordinated, stunning diplomatic offensive, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates have severed links with Qatar ‘for destabilising the region by backing groups such as Al Qaeda, Muslim Brotherhood and the Islamic State’.
Such allegations against Qatar are not of recent origin and the
sudden action against it smacks of a plan to isolate Iran, internationally. But Qatar is not the only country which stands accused of promoting
terrorism. It is a supreme irony that Saudi Arabia has joined others in condemning it for backing terrorist groups!
The US has bracketed Qatar and Iran as countries sponsoring terrorism. Has the US now exonerated Saudi Arabia and found only Qatar guilty as chargedIJ What India can do is play an extremely interested party in ensuring the dispute does not spiral out of control. For now, India needs to pursue a course of masterly inactivity, preserving and protecting its own best interests but at a distance from the turmoil. This is not our fight.