CHIKUN/KAJURU REP, HON. FIDELIX BAGUDU, ANNOUNCES NEW APPOINTMENTS TO STRENGTHEN INCLUSIVE GOVERNANCE. (PHOTO).
President Donald Trump has signed an executive order pledging to defend Qatar, including through military action if necessary, though the exact legal weight of the commitment remains uncertain. The order, dated Monday but posted Wednesday on the White House website, underscores the two countries’ “close cooperation” and shared strategic interests, promising to “guarantee the security and territorial integrity of the state of Qatar against external attack.”
The text states that any armed assault on Qatar’s territory, sovereignty, or critical infrastructure would be considered a threat to U.S. peace and security, with the United States committing to take “all lawful and appropriate measures — including diplomatic, economic, and, if necessary, military — to defend the interests of the United States and of the state of Qatar and to restore peace and stability.” The order followed a visit to Washington by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, during which Trump arranged a call between Netanyahu and Qatari officials after an Israeli strike killed six people, including a member of Qatari security forces. While Qatar has not issued an official response, the order has raised questions about how binding the pledge is, given that military decisions remain at the president’s discretion and that treaties usually require Senate approval. Qatar, which hosts the U.S. Central Command’s Al Udeid Air Base and was designated a major non-NATO ally in 2022, has significant strategic importance due to its natural gas wealth and longstanding military cooperation with the United States.
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