Search by FBI, Qatar uncovers remains of 30 people believed killed by ISIS in Syria
CBSMAY 12
FBI-Qatar Team Finds Mass Grave of 30 IS Victims in Syria
Above: An image grab taken from a propaganda video released by the Islamic State (IS) group media office in Iraq's Nineveh province on July 20, 2016, allegedly shows Rachid Kassim, a French member of IS. Image copyright: Welayat Nineveh/Stringer/AFP via Getty Images
The Spin
Narrative A
This joint security mission underscores the deepening U.S.-Qatar partnership, extending beyond counter-terrorism to military strategy, peace mediation, economics, and technology. Trump's upcoming visit to Doha will celebrate this progress, with agreements in defense, trade, technology, and education aligning with Qatar's Vision 2030. Qatari-U.S. efforts in Gaza and humanitarian aid further solidify its role as a vital U.S. ally, fostering regional stability and innovation.
Narrative B
Recent U.S.-Qatari endeavors do not reflect a deepening partnership but a transactional relationship driven by Trump's business interests. His Gulf tour prioritizes deals — planes, arms, AI — over strategy, ignoring Qatar's ties to Hamas and Iran, which clash with U.S. security goals. Qatar's mediation fuels conflict, and economic ties favor Trump's family ventures, not mutual growth, undermining claims of a broad, stable alliance.
Cynical narrative
While it's nice to see Western and Arab states join hands to find answers for the victims of IS, it's important to remember how these same governments created such terror groups decades ago. The U.S. created the conditions for IS to thrive through its invasion of Iraq, just as it created Al Qaeda by supporting mujahideen fighters in Afghanistan in the 1980s. Let's hope Western foreign policy reforms itself for good, and no more IS-style groups ever emerge again.