Qatar in the Architecture of Middle Eastern Security: Strategic Behavior, Diplomacy, and Regional Power Politics

Abstract

Qatar has become a key player in Middle Eastern politics concerning security despite being a small state in terms of both geographic and demographic locations. The state has changed into a central force that influences the alignment of the region, mediates conflicts, and exercises soft power in the entire Arab region and beyond over the last twenty years’ despite being a marginal Gulf monarchy. This paper is a critical study of the multifaceted role of Qatar in the stability of the region, based on an in-depth analysis of its strategic action, the alliances, defense relations, mediation diplomacy, soft-power tools, and its adaptation to the changing foreign policies post the blockade. The research utilizes only secondary data, and it uses the small-state theory, complex interdependence, and security regionalism to explain the Qatar foreign policy logic. The results indicate that Qatar uses the resource of energy wealth, international media networks, military alliances with the largest powers, and a highly esteemed reputation as an unbiased intermediary to influence political events in the Middle East. Moreover, the 20172021 Gulf blockade can be seen as the turning point in the Qatar security doctrine that drove Doha towards strategic diversification and even more aggressive diplomatic autonomy. This paper concludes that Qatar is now a factual actor in the regional security infrastructure given its flexibility, hedging approach, and active diplomacy, which is disruptive of conventional power relations consisting of bigger states.