Breakingviews - Cox: Saudenfreude over Khashoggi absent from Doha | Reuters:
An influential Saudi Arabian prince once called Qatar, a spit of sand sticking into the Persian Gulf like a thumb, nothing more than “300 people and a television channel.” Such disdain inspired Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to initiate a four-nation blockade of the country. But not a year and a half later, the young Saudi monarch has acknowledged what has become apparent to the world: Qatar is doing just fine.
It would be easy for this tiny-but-rich nation of 2.6 million people to gloat over the global public display of revulsion surrounding the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents. Yet “Saudenfreude,” or satisfaction over condemnation of its neighbour’s alleged drawing-and-quartering of a prominent dissident in its Istanbul consulate, is in short supply in Doha.
That’s not because Qatar is especially humble. Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani’s visage is more ubiquitous in the capital than those of his counterparts in Abu Dhabi or Dubai. His silhouette adorns everything from skyscrapers to taxis. And Qatar has never been shy about flaunting its good fortune, embarking on flashy shopping sprees and acquiring trophy assets like Harrods and French soccer club, Paris Saint-Germain.
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