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Four Arab Nations Cut Diplomatic Ties to Qatar as Gulf Rift Deepens
(AP) Jon Gambrell - Four Arab nations cut diplomatic ties to Qatar early Monday morning, further deepening a rift among Gulf Arab nations over that country's support for Islamist groups and its relations with Iran. Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates all announced they would withdraw their diplomatic staff from Qatar. All the nations also said they planned to cut air and sea traffic. Saudi Arabia said it took the decision to cut diplomatic ties due to Qatar's "embrace of various terrorist and sectarian groups aimed at destabilizing the region" including the Muslim Brotherhood, al-Qaida, the Islamic State group and groups supported by Iran in the kingdom's restive eastern province of Qatif. Qatar is also home to the sprawling al-Udeid Air Base, which is home to the U.S. military's Central Command and some 10,000 American troops. It wasn't clear if the decision would affect American military operations.