CAMERON: Travel broadens horizons...and you

For the record, I never knew Augustine of Hippo personally.

Fair enough, I may have celebrated a few birthdays and there’s now a bit of gray in my beard — but this man lived in the fifth century.

On the other hand, Augustine and I are right on the same page when it comes to getting out of your comfort zone and learning how other people live, and what different cultures are like when you’re in the midst of them.

What Augustine said was this: “The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.”

True.

And Augustine probably had to get around by mule or ox cart.

Up here in the 21st century, I’ve been lucky enough — privileged, really — to have lived full-time in Britain and worked all over Europe and the Middle East.

Such things change your perspective entirely.

Your understanding of global events is raised exponentially, as opposed to merely hearing a few sound bites on TV.

JUST AS an example, the supposedly all-seeing New York Times has provided very little coverage this week about a fairly serious flap among nations near the Arabian Sea.

American television has ignored the news almost completely.

A Middle East issue doesn’t cause the same uproar or generate as many potential web clicks as accusations against President Trump, or what Michael Flynn might have known.

But the fact that Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (which includes Dubai), Bahrain and even Egypt have severed diplomatic ties with the tiny nation of Qatar — and instituted a full-scale air, sea and land blockade — could turn into truly immense news if the United States reads the situation incorrectly.

The blockade has been led by the Saudis, who claim that Qatar has been a sponsor of terrorism — which is a bit rich when you consider that the Sept. 11 attacks on New York and Washington were funded almost entirely by Saudi Arabia.

Trump initially seemed to welcome this bully move, calling Qatar a sponsor of terrorism “...at the very highest levels.”

That statement came right after the president visited Saudi King Salman and was treated like royalty.

Once home and available to his advisers, however, Trump went silent and the U.S. approved the sale of 36 fighter jets to Qatar.

AS IT happens, I’ve worked in Qatar, I know the people a bit and I’ve had conversations with a member of the al-Thani ruling family.

Also, like Trump no doubt was reminded once back in Washington, there’s a strategic importance with Al-Udeid, a military air base outside Doha which hosts 11,000 U.S. and coalition personnel.

There is also serious money at risk here, with massive American oil, gas and other business interests in Qatar.

Saudi Arabia and the UAE are spoofing about “terrorism,” unless you count Qatar’s support for the Muslim Brotherhood, which is a generally peaceful political party.

No, their real beef with Qatar is the nation’s outreach and its inflated influence in world affairs for a nation its size.

Part of that comes from wealth — Qatar has the largest natural gas reserves in the world — but an even bigger piece traces to Al Jazeera, the worldwide web and television giant funded by the Qatari government and given license to report objectively on all global affairs.

Al Jazeera’s coverage was the single most critical factor in the Arab Spring of 2011, as autocratic regimes were toppled in Libya, Tunisia and eventually Egypt.

THAT YEAR also marked the start of a civil war in Yemen and the ongoing battle in Syria, as ordinary Arabs in the street heard dialogue on Al Jazeera for the first time and began to question their rulers.

Saudi royalty and various princes in the UAE have no desire to see that kind of public heat eventually turned on them, of course — so Trump’s friendly visit to Riyadh must have made this seem like a great time to pressure Qatar.

Trust me, you can have morning coffee at the Souq Waqif in Doha and not find anyone worried about this blockade.

You can stroll the Corniche around the bay, have a cigar and brandy in one of the luxury hotels or just shop for groceries in one of Doha’s lower class, largely immigrant neighborhoods...and no one is missing a thing.

Qatar has money and more money, so goods once obtained through Saudi Arabia now are pouring in from Turkey and — distressingly for the Saudis — just across a narrow channel from Iran.

This blockade will end with nothing much accomplished except some harsh but meaningless words.

The Saudis will claim that Al Jazeera should be muzzled, and that demand will be met with silence from Doha. The Qataris have no interest in leaving the global stage.

They’re more interested in preparing to host soccer’s 2022 World Cup.

But you need to be there to understand, and...

Sadly, most Americans never will.

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Steve Cameron is a special assignment reporter for The Press. Reach Steve: scameron@cdapress.com.