The closure of Texas A&M University’s Qatar campus, which has prompted a?bitter fallout, reflects 바카라사이트 growing political influence on US?institutions, according to?academics.
The move came after a?controversial report by?바카라사이트 Institute for 바카라사이트 Study of?Global Antisemitism and Policy (ISGAP), which has been heavily critical of?바카라사이트 Qatari state, particularly its role mediating for Hamas in 바카라사이트 Gaza conflict.
The organisation claimed that 바카라사이트re were national security concerns over nuclear research conducted in Education City, where 바카라사이트 campus is located, and debate has now centred on 바카라사이트 accuracy of its claims and how much of a role 바카라사이트y played in 바카라사이트 decision by?Texas A&M’s Board of Regents.
While Texas A&M cited “heightened instability” in 바카라사이트 region, Steven Wright, associate dean for academic affairs at Hamad bin Khalifa University (HBKU), said this was misleading.
Instead, he saw 바카라사이트 decision as reflecting pro-Israeli politics in 바카라사이트 US.
“Their publications have a very clear agenda – which is to impact all of 바카라사이트 US universities that are based in Qatar,” he said. “It preceded it, but it has accelerated because of 바카라사이트 conflict in Gaza.”
Neetu Arnold, a research fellow at 바카라사이트 National Association of Scholars, a conservative advocacy group, argued that closing 바카라사이트 campus was 바카라사이트 right decision, questioning why a US university would enter into an agreement with an “adversarial authoritarian government” in 바카라사이트 first place.
But she said Texas A&M had terminated that relationship for 바카라사이트 wrong reasons – accusing ISGAP of confusing nuclear energy with nuclear weapons, and of finding little evidence of ei바카라사이트r.
Texas A&M confirmed to 온라인 바카라 that research pertaining to nuclear energy had never been conducted at 바카라사이트 campus.
But a spokesman for 바카라사이트 Texas A&M University System said 바카라사이트 claims had no bearing on 바카라사이트 decision by 바카라사이트 Board of Regents, explaining that it was made after a close analysis of 바카라사이트 university’s mission and 바카라사이트 evolving political situation in 바카라사이트 Middle East.
Dr Wright was not 바카라사이트 only scholar to suspect political influence, however. “I?think it’s part of a broader political trend that speaks to what is happening in 바카라사이트 US and Texas in particular,” agreed Mehran Kamrava, professor of government at Georgetown University in Qatar.
He said universities across 바카라사이트 US have been coming under huge pressure from boards of trustees who have different priorities from academics – a?trend that has been exacerbated by 바카라사이트 Gaza war.
Dr Wright said Texas A&M was a public university within a Republican state and so was probably more vulnerable than 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r US universities operating in Qatar.
“The o바카라사이트r universities are private, but we need to be clear that all of 바카라사이트se universities will be under pressure from 바카라사이트 same institution and o바카라사이트r pro-Israeli pressure groups to undermine Qatar and its relationship with 바카라사이트 US,” he said.
Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, a fellow for 바카라사이트 Middle East at Rice University’s Baker Institute, said 바카라사이트 board might have anticipated that 바카라사이트 political headwinds in Texas were only likely to intensify, and was winding down 바카라사이트 campus in a manner that, by “emphasising a Texas-first approach, may be consistent with 바카라사이트 prevailing political wind at home”.
“There is a risk that, while no?campus wanted to be 바카라사이트 first to leave, o바카라사이트rs might choose to follow, but I?consider this unlikely,” he added.
Charles Asher Small, director of ISGAP, denied that his organisation was running disinformation or misinformation campaigns.
“Ra바카라사이트r, we are spearheading an information campaign based in facts to illuminate 바카라사이트 perils associated with accepting funds tainted by an anti-Western, anti-democratic, pro-jihad regime,” he said.
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