Qatar is bragging about its media, particularly Al Jazeera, and is always reiterating that it has upheld and supported the “Arab Spring” while accusing some GCC states, including the UAE, that they stood up against this. The so-called “Spring” was indeed the path to absolute destruction and created catastrophes that Arab countries had never experienced before.

To be more specific, there are some clear outcomes that resulted from the Arab Spring Doha is boasting about. These, which published by many international observers and media, include:

* Material losses that have amounted to more than $1 trillion (Dh3.67 trillion) and are expected to rise further in Syria, Libya, Iraq and Yemen. These cannot be easily compensated and will make up an economic and social disaster that could last decades.

* There are also 14 million refugees, 8 million of whom live outside their home countries and suffer tragic living conditions due to the lack of the most basic means to sustain a dignified life. This came about after they left their homes and stable social lives on losing income sources as well as the basic services they used to enjoy, such as education and medical services.

The Arab Spring has resulted in 1.5 million people being injured or killed, hundreds of thousands of whom were innocent children, women and the old. This is in fact because of foreign funding, which is being bragged about instead of feeling shame. It demands a heartfelt apology for the serious damages caused to millions in various Arab countries.

GDP loss

On the same patter, the “Qatari Spring” resulted in 3 million people losing jobs, most of whom had enjoyed stable businesses and reasonable income but now suffer the most in just surviving, not to mention their lack of basic life requirements that have become a dream. It is all thanks to this Spring, which was supported by revenues from gas sales.

To top it all, $700 billion of the gross domestic production have been lost in the Arab Spring-hit countries, a gargantuan loss considering the limited resources in countries that have experienced wanton destruction of factories, farms and productive institutions. They now require unprecedented efforts to be made fit for relaunch of operations.

More than 70 million have joined the ranks of those living below the poverty line in Arab countries on the heels of the destruction, placing a great burden on the resources of those countries that cannot be easily overcome such difficulties, especially in the aftermath of a crisis.

There are also 15 million out-of-school children, adding to the ranks of the uneducated and placing another burden on society as their ignorance might lure them to commit organised crimes and engage in drug abuse and smuggling.

These are just examples of the destruction and subversion that Qatar is proud to support, employing baseless pretexts to garner the sympathy of fools backed by Al Jazeera’s incitement, which plays with the emotions of the poor and underprivileged. However, the recurring image of the situation resulting from the alleged Spring is more catastrophic than anyone may think of.

Just look at the devastation in Aleppo, Mosul, Homs and Hama or war-torn cities like Damascus, Baghdad, Tripoli and Benghazi.

Destructive role

Qatar could have been proud of those billions if they had been harnessed to develop state-of-the-art infrastructure, which it desperately needs so as to constitute a solid foundation for factories, institutions, schools and hospitals that generate millions of jobs, contribute to the state’s development and an improvement in residents’ living standards

If such results are the fruits of the so-called Spring, then congratulations are in order for Qatar’s leaders. However, you have to be fully aware that these actions cannot be forgotten, but might be forgiven if Qatar stopped playing a destructive role and instead helped the affected instead through offering development support. Only this can reinstate economic progress, provide jobs, bring children back to the schools, employees to their workplace, and people to what should pass off as a normal life. These were what got lost by the ominous Qatari Spring.

— Dr Mohammad Al Asoomi is a UAE economic expert and specialist in economic and social development in the UAE and the GCC countries.