Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa has abdicated the throne but he did not leave power. He will leave the cumbersome daily formalities, but he will remain at the side of the new Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad, to advise him and back him up... and I almost said guide him, but the last thing I want for Qatar is a "Guide" – in the style of Muslim Brotherhood and the Iranian regime – as we already have enough of those blighting out lives. Stepping down from power is a commendable feat in the Arab world, so perhaps we will see other rulers follow in the footsteps of the Emir of Qatar. The latter is 61 years old, while the crown prince is 33. Sheikh Tamim's young age conceals his experience in government, because I do not remember ever seeing Sheikh Hamad, especially in Doha, without Sheikh Tamim by his side, seeing, hearing, and gaining experience. I will not compare today between a monarchy and republican system of government, but will rely on the experiences of the Arab countries. For example, the crown prince was born in a house of power and has gained daily experience in government there. By contrast, a ‘colonel' with perhaps no more than a high school degree carried out a coup and found himself suddenly in the presidential palace, having to run the economy of the country and its needs in education and healthcare, and establish political relations with the outside world, etc. The result was what we saw in Libya, which Muammar Gaddafi nearly destroyed in four bleak decades of his rule had it not been for God's mercy. For the sake of comparison, Sheikh Tamim has for years been in charge of overseeing several dossiers, from investment to education, sports, and others. Sheikh Tamim oversees the preparations to host the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup, which lets people abroad see the level of progress achieved by Qatar under the rule of the father Sheikh Hamad and the son Sheikh Tamim. Now, there is a project for a new media law to replace the outdated Publications Law, so perhaps Sheikh Tamim will infuse in it the spirit of the age and youth, and make it a model to be emulated by other Arab countries. When Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa succeeded his father in 1995, Qatar embarked on a new post-independence era. Sheikh Tamim's succession of his father represents a continuation of the approach that gave Qatar and its people, who are less numerous that a medium-sized neighborhood in Cairo for example, worldwide fame and influence. I am not fond of all aspects of Qatar's foreign policy though. While I am in favor of Qatar, a capable country, assisting the Palestinians and Egypt (after Hosni Mubarak) and every other Arab country that needs help, I find its foreign policy to be the equivalent of the saying "fingers in pies." Instead, I prefer for Qatar to focus on what is most important, and to work within its capabilities and weight, and avoid ambitions that might backfire. Al-Jazeera TV has wide viewership; however it is for one Arab camp against another. With the utmost frankness and positivity, I say that Al-Arabiya TV has wider viewership still, because it is trying to accommodate all people without relinquishing the convictions that were behind its launch. Al-Jazeera can maintain its convictions without limiting itself to Islamists, as non-Islamists, too, can provide useful and correct opinions, and they belong to the same nation in the end. Finally, I noticed in the speech delivered by Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa as he handed over power to Sheikh Tamim, that he said that he did not want power as an end in itself nor sought it for personal motives, but for the sake of the interests of the country and to cross into a new phase. I can bear witness to the honesty of this statement. Indeed, Emir Hamad rose to power in 1995, and when I met him and interviewed for the first time in the Emiri Diwan months later, all signs of ‘progress' that I saw in Doha were the airport, the corniche, and a hotel in the shape of an inverted pyramid. Today, Doha is a major city, and everything in it is modern or even futuristic. If Hamad bin Khalifa accomplished all this before the boom in the gas revenues, then Tamim bin Hamad can no doubt continue the march and take it forward. [email protected]
