Main differences between Qatar and Abruzzo

(To Giampiero Venturi)
08/04/15

(Six years after the earthquake a reflection on how the world travels ...)

How big is Qatar? More or less like Abruzzo and like Abruzzo it is washed by the sea. One might think that Qatar and Abruzzo are similar. This is not exactly the case. First of all, in Qatar we speak Arabic even if, as many foreigners work there, English is very widespread. In Abruzzo, on the other hand, Abruzzese is spoken, although declined in different dialects. The capital of Qatar is Doha, the capital of Abruzzo is L'Aquila. Six years ago there was a horrible earthquake in L'Aquila, but no in Doha.

There are other differences, however, that jump to the eyes to a more careful analysis. Abruzzo, for example, has mountains and a sometimes very rigid climate. The Qatar vice versa is almost always hot as a stove, so much so that the 2022 World Cup will be played in winter.

Yeah: in a few years Qatar will host the World Cup. It is not very clear whether it is the sporting tradition that has oriented FIFA. The same goes for the Formula One Grand Prix and the Italian Super Cup. With this we do not want to imply that Qatar is scarce in terms of sporting merits. We simply say that we still have to know one today.

What has this to do with Abruzzo? Perhaps it would be more consistent to play the World Cup final in Pescara? It is not for us to say. We only know that in Abruzzo there is snow, while in Qatar there is oil. The snow is white and the oil is black. Snow is free, oil is not. It will be for this or that reason, but it seems that oil counts more than snow in the assignment of major events. The Ski World Cup could be an exception, but overcoming this is risky too. Who could deny Qatar hosting a Giant Slalom in the future? After all, in the nearby Emirates you can already ski on artificial snow.

It is useless to turn around the question: Qatar is powerful. Probably more powerful than Abruzzo. It is no coincidence that Al Jazeera and Qatar Airways are based in Doha and not in Tagliacozzo.

The strength of the small Persian Gulf state (or Arab as they say locally) is manifested in everything, not just in sport. Although small and not very humanized, he often comes out in contexts where there is a need to beat your fist and raise your voice. When Egypt bombed Isis militias in Libya, for example, Qatar recalled the ambassador from Cairo with strong disappointment. How is it possible? A country included in the international financial elite that rebels against the sickness of Islamic extremists? No wonder. Doha finances the Muslim Brotherhood and many Islamization programs (including in Italy) but everyone pretends not to know. Everyone suspects that it is the basis of experiments often bordering on radical Islamic doctrines, but the double standard of the Western world is at stake. A similar reasoning was also valid for Saudi Arabia in the time of Bin Laden; history repeats itself.

Qatar owns half of London, including the financial district, the US Embassy and Harrods department stores; controls pieces of Wall Street and the Costa Smeralda; through Qatar Holding he has entered the boards of directors of half the world; infinite properties and controlled events; among the 2014 handball World Championships, the 2015 motocross and 2022 football World Championships, he also bought the skyscrapers of the Porta Nuova Project in Milan.

In short, there is no opposition to Qatar, neither with ... syrup nor with politics. Better to let it go. When it comes to petrodollars, doing business is convenient for everyone, especially in the West. It's always money that moves everything. It has always been like that and not even an earthquake would upset the order of things. This Abruzzo, perhaps knows best of all ...