The Qatari government’s gift of a $400 million plane to Donald Trump turned out to be quite the omen, as Doha welcomed the US president to town on Wednesday by announcing that it would buy $96 billion worth of Boeing jets, plus a red carpet and a brigade of camels. The deal was topped off with a $2-billion purchase for unmanned aircraft systems, a $1-billion one for counter-drone technology, and up to $38 billion in further defense investments.
The visit marks the first time a US president has visited Qatar since George Bush. It's a big moment for the Gulf state, which has been trying to boost its influence on the world stage – despite past human-rights abuses and friendliness with terrorists – by buying sports teams, hosting World Cups, and even snagging a substantial portion of the Empire State building.
