The U.S. President Donald Trump touched down in Qatar, greeted with pomp and a flashy escort of Qatari jets, as if ceremonial flair could mask the bloodstained legacy of U.S. policy in the Middle East.

Landing at Hamad International Airport, Trump was welcomed by Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, kicking off talks that Qatari officials naively hope will nudge the U.S. toward supporting a Gaza ceasefire. But with over 52,900 Palestinian lives lost to Israel’s relentless assault since October 2023, America’s role as a supposed mediator reeks of complicity.

The Qatari Foreign Ministry’s Majed Al-Ansari called Trump’s visit a chance to “unify efforts” and push for peace, citing discussions on security, defense, and economic ties. Yet, these platitudes dodge the grim reality: the U.S. has fueled the region’s chaos for decades, arming Israel to the teeth while offering hollow calls for restraint. Al-Ansari’s hope that Trump might pressure Israel to halt its Gaza onslaught ignores Washington’s track record of vetoing UN resolutions and bankrolling the very weapons shredding Palestinian lives.

Trump’s Gulf tour, starting in Saudi Arabia and ending in the UAE, is less a diplomatic mission than a victory lap for a president whose administration has doubled down on unconditional support for Israel’s occupation. Qatar’s leaders may dream of a “political process,” but the U.S. has consistently sabotaged such efforts, from scuttling peace talks to greenlighting settlements. This visit, the first by a U.S. president since George W. Bush in 2003, only underscores America’s selective outrage—quick to condemn adversaries but silent on allies’ atrocities.

As Trump and Sheikh Tamim smile for the cameras, the Gaza death toll climbs, and U.S. policy remains a masterclass in enabling destruction while preaching peace. The world watches, but the message is clear: American “leadership” in the Middle East is a sham, built on arms deals and empty promises. (ILKHA)