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Interviewee: Briefings by Ambassador Quinn and PolCouns Morley,

Embassy Doha
Date: October 19, 2003
Location: U.S. Embassy, Doha Qatar and Ambassador's Residence
Participants: Mike Hurley
Drafted by: Mike Hurley
Reviewed by: Philip Zelikow
Additional Info: None

Background:

Ambassdor Maureen Quinn is a career Foreign Service Officer with a specialty in economics. She took
up her post in Doha in late September 200 I. Mark Morley, also a career Foreign Service Officer, began
his pes in Doha in August 2002.

Relations with Qatar:

U.S. relations with Qatar, a small Gulf country, are on a strong footing. Qatar is awash in natural gas
money and its per capita income is among the highest in the world. The country is modernizing and
construction is visible everywhere.

• The Mission's Role in the War on Terrorism:

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The Qatari government is closely cooperating with the usa in the War on Terrorism. Although the
terrorism problem in Qatar has not reached alarming proportions, in the past some terrorists have had
connections to the country, and Qatari authorities are determined that Qatar not be seen by terrorists as a
country in which they are welcome. The Government monitors the activities of Islamic fundamentalist
groups. The fundamentalist message conflicts with the direction in which the Emir of Qatar and his
Government are headed=toward increasing public participation in government and a more liberal
society. According to Ambassador Quinn and PolCouns Morley, the Government of Qatar has
irrevocably chosen to move towards an enlightened citizenry] 9/11 Classified Information
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Specifically, the government has implemented tough new financial and banking laws designed to ensure
terrorists do not use Qatar's banking system to transfer funds. There has not been much of a history of
terrorist financial involvement in Qatar, so this move is pre-em tive but at the same time it is a ood

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indication that Qatar is stepping up to its responsibilities. 9/11 Classified Information

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Ambassador Quinn and PolCouns Morley's Views on U.S. Global Fight Against Terrorism:

Looking at the larger problem of terrorism, beyond the shores of Qatar, Ambassador Quinn suggested
that the U.S. needs a comprehensive strategy, one that engages as many allies as possible. She believes a
nuanced approach is called for, one that recognizes that different countries face different problems,
contend with different pressures from respective citizenries. Therefore, categorizing countries into those
that support terrorism and those that do not is too black and white. A country's government may not
support terrorism, but at the same time may be forced to consider the religious sentiments and prejudices
of its population. Thus, often, a particular country might have to render support privately, while
maintaining some distance from U.S. olicies ublicl . She emphasized she was not speaking about
Qatar ather she was referring to other countries in
the Gulf and tvliddle East.

PolCouns Morley recommended that in the War on Terrorism, the U.S. not rely primarily on the
military. Terrorists hide among civilian populations and therefore the military, which is quite good at the
application of blunt force, might not be the best instrument. He argued that the USG should ensure that

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all the instruments of national and power are synchronized in a detailed strategy. There are times and
places when use of the military is appropriate, while for certain objectives the emphasis should be on
intelligence, aggressive diplomacy, and law enforcement. We are in this for the long run, he said, and it
is imperative we understand that and craft our strategy accordingly. We must, he pointed out, devote
considerable attention to "draining the swamp", i.e., addressing the root causes of terrorism: alienation of
Muslim youth, miserable economic conditions in Islamic nations, autocratic and self-indulgent regimes,
relentless propaganda directed at the West.

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