The State of Qatar and Qatar Armed Forces The State of Qatar is in the world the State of crime rate, according a peninsula located Qatar has a total land to the World Economic amid the western area of 11,610 km2 (4,483 Forum. by İbrahim SÜNNETÇİ coast of the Arabian sq. miles). According Gulf. The peninsula is to United Nations (UN) Military Service allowed female Qatari citizens to join the Army approximately 100 km estimations, dated Since April 2015, when and extended compulsory across and extends August 2019, the State of the National Service Law military service to one 200 km into the Gulf. Qatar’s total population entered into force, Qatar year. With this step the Qatar adopted its first is 2,839 million. With has made it mandatory State of Qatar has sought written constitution in some 340,000 people, for Qatari citizens to to increase its limited April 1970 and became Qataris are considered be conscripted in the manpower (citizen- fully independent from a ‘minority’ in their own Army. Until April 2018, soldiers) for the Armed the United Kingdom nation amounting to only Qatari men between the Forces. According to on September 1, 1971. 12% of the population. ages of 18 and 35 years Law No. 5 of 2018 on The State of Qatar Foreign workers amount old must train in the compulsory national is a sovereign and to around 88% of the military for at least three service program issued independent Arab state population, with Indians months if they are college by the Emir Sheikh Tamim that has been ruled by being the largest graduates, and four Bin Hamad Al-THANI on the Thani Family since community numbering months if they have high April 4, 2018 Wednesday, Jassim Bin Mohammad around 700,000. school diplomas or have those who refuse to Al-THANI signed a treaty dropped out of school. with the UK in 1868 that Nowadays, the State of participate in military recognized its separate Qatar is one of the safest In April 2018, amid the service without an excuse status. countries in the world ongoing Gulf Crisis, Qatar can face imprisonment of with the seventh-lowest one month to a year or a Having emerged as fine between US$13,700 one of the world’s most to US$82,400. important producers of oil and gas and is Under the current the richest country on legislation the Ministry of earth, the State of Qatar Interior and the Ministry has been governed by of Public Health and HH Sheikh Tamim Bin other bodies concerned Hamad Bin Khalifa Al- are required to provide THANI since June 2013. the National Services As one of the smallest Soldiers at Military Parade on Qatar National Day in Academy during the nations by size and area December 2018 first half of each year the 20 names of males who will be turning 18 years of age in the following year. The Qatari male must present himself to the National Services Academy within 60 days from the date of attaining the age of 18 or obtaining the high school certificate or the equivalent, whichever is earlier. The national service for females of the age of 18 is voluntary. Foreign Contract Qatari Emiri Air Force troops on parade Soldiers its citizens. Relatively Gulf states that the In early June 2017 the Gulf Excluding Iraq and Saudi cheaper than citizen- highest proportion of Crisis broke out when a Arabia, the Arab states of soldiers, foreign contract foreign contract soldiers handful of Arab states the Persian Gulf (namely soldiers can also be serve. Reports indicate led by Saudi Arabia (the Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, dismissed with no political that up to 85% of the Qatar de facto leader of the Oman, Qatar, Saudi liability. Armed Forces’ manpower GCC) abruptly severed Arabia and the United consist of foreign contract diplomatic relations According to open Arab Emirates) have soldiers. In October 2017 with the State of Qatar sources experiencing small citizen populations ‘Somali Garowe Online’ and imposed a blockade a struggle of limited that limit their ability to revealed that in 2016 Qatar on the State of Qatar. manpower for its Armed strengthen their Armed recruited 6,000 Somali In response to threats Forces, Qatar is not only Forces with the available soldiers to increase its from Saudi Arabia, extending its compulsory pool of citizens. defense force in addition Bahrain, the UAE and national service program to at least 360 Sudanese Egypt, Qatar launched Therefore, thanks to their from 3 to 4 months to mercenaries to defend a massive multi-billion rich financial wealth most 12 months and allowing and protect Qatar’s Head dollar military power of the Arab states that volunteer females to of State. The growing buildup. This massive border the Persian Gulf join the Army, but also imbalance between re-equipment program (Arabian Gulf), prefer to recruits large numbers of citizens and non-native however has raised a recruit large numbers of foreign contract soldiers personnel recruited from series of questions about contracted soldiers from to overcome manpower other countries in the the country’s ability to other countries, including limitations. As a wealthy Qatari Armed Forces has incorporate the ordered Jordan, Pakistan, Sudan oil and gas power, Qatar turned into an urgent sophisticated weapon and Indonesia to is one of the three Persian concern since 2017. systems and platforms strengthen their Armies’ manpower. The foreign contract soldiers (mostly non-native Sunni Muslims and do not speak the local dialect or do not speak Arabic at all) generally have no political interests to pursue and seldom participate in attempts to overthrow the regime. They also have no social links to the native population, so in case of domestic social unrests the state can deploy them The "Al Zubarah" Corvette, first of four Doha Class air defense corvettes with confidence against 21 (including 24 x Eurofighter Typhoon, 36 x Rafale and 36 x F-15QA fighter jets as well as Doha Class air defense corvettes, OPV/ FACM type ships, cadet training ships and an air defense LPD) into its military amid a crisis faced with the above mentioned Gulf nations. Considering the availability of citizen- soldiers/staff officers, Qatar is believed to Dassault - Rafale be recruiting further foreign contract usually adopted when the coup. While continuing Bahrain, the United Arab soldiers/staff officers state is unable to achieve implementation of the Emirates (UAE) and Egypt to operate acquired a balance of power with method of joint military severed diplomatic and sophisticated weaponry its adversary on its own. building with an increased trade relations with the and to compensate trend, after the Gulf Crisis country. for existing staffing Due to the geopolitical the State of Qatar has shortage. Proving this power imbalance with realized that this method Historically, Qatar has expectation according its neighbors the State could not be adopted as a been a major defense to Aviation International of Qatar has adopted single option like before, partner to the United News, the first batch the method of joint but rather, as a parallel States, starting most of pilots trained for the military building, since option to self-building. notably after Operation Qatari Emiri Air Force in 1996. Through the Qatar currently hosts Desert Storm in 1991, France in November 2017 construction of military some 13,000 US troops when the US-Qatar were Pakistani exchange bases for foreign troops at Al Udeid Air Base and Defense Cooperation officers. In February 2018 in its territories the State at As Sayliyah Army Base Agreement (DCA) was the Express Tribune, a of Qatar has aimed to as well as some 2,000 signed. Located at 35km Pakistani publication, bring in foreign troops to Turkish soldiers (including southwest of Doha, the Al reported that 627 safeguard Qatari defense. Turkish Army, Navy and Udeid Air Base is home to Pakistani personnel, Special Forces personnel) over 11,000 US troops and The presence of the Qatar including 165 from the at the Tariq Bin Ziyad and is considered the largest Armed Forces and foreign Pakistan Army and 462 Khalid Bin Walid military US military base in the troops operating together from the Pakistan Navy barracks outside Doha. Middle East. Constructed could aid in the formation and Air Force, were Turkey has been a major in 1996 at the cost of more of steadfast alliances to deployed in Qatar. The supporter of the State than US$1 Billion the deter a potential foreign report added nearly 300 of Qatar since June 2017, base also houses Qatari assault or an internal additional personnel when Saudi Arabia, Emiri Air Force and US- could be deployed to Qatar for “training and advisory” roles. Foreign Troops Most of the Arab states of the Persian Gulf consider the presence of foreign troops in their territories essential to fend off internal coups and foreign invasions. The method of joint military building, which is less expensive, more flexible and responsive to variables, is 22 chose Turkey as an ally and allowed the country to open a military base in its territories. Turkey’s military involvement in Doha dates back to December 19, 2014, when the two countries inked a military cooperation agreement that allows the deployment of the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) in the State of Qatar. The Patriot PAC-3 launcher on Qatar's National Day Parade agreement was ratified by the Turkish Parliament led anti-ISIL coalition and improved quarters Qatar the As Sayliyah Army (TBMM) on March 19, forces and over 100 along with new schools, Base was established 2015. The first group of operational aircraft.