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If Qatar is withstanding an embargo by Saudi-led Arab nations, it's because the country has drawn the right lessons from its previous neighborhood squabble. Back in 2014, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain withdrew their ambassadors from Qatar, making some of the same complaints that resurfaced in this year's crisis. The confrontation that didn't involve comprehensive closing of borders, airspace and ports. For many Qataris, however, it was clear that the 2014 confrontation ” the result of their country's historic rivalry with the Saudis and especially the Emiratis ” wasn't a one-off event. So in the years since, Qatar made sure to prepare for a second round. Doha has has even built housing for airlifted cows to achieve self-sufficiency in dairy products."These countries thought they could corner Qatar and force it to wave the white flag, using a shock-and-awe approach. It didn't work out. The Qataris had learned their lesson," he said. The sanctions have so far backfired. They have fomented a sense of defiance and newfound Qatari nationalism. Unlike in 2014, Qatar now has a new seaport that can handle large container ships, the Hamad Port. That has permitted it to offset the ban on shipping via Dubai, until recently the main hub for cargo to Qatar. (WSJ) page 8
