Source: Asia Times.
Western corporate media is head over heels with the Emir of Qatar, Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, 61, as he magnanimously chose to depose himself to the benefit of his son, the former heir apparent Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, 33.
In a positively Kennedy-esque speech on national television, the outgoing emir said, “the time has come to turn a new leaf”, so “a new generation steps forward to shoulder the responsibility”.
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Sounds so ‘magnanimous’. Fact is that (almost) no-one gives up power willingly. Insider information from the UAE has it that the Sheikh was forced by the Americans to abdicate, because he disobeyed them and continued to supply weapons to Al Qaeeda factions in Syria. Also politically he did not play along ‘obediently’ with the Americans (in regard to the efforts to build up a viable Syrian opposition).The Americans (and British) now hope that the young Sheikh will be better ‘under control’.