India, Feb. 21 -- In the complicated world of Middle-East politics, where radical Islam jostles for space with a strong Shia-Sunni current, Qatar is often described by the West and Israel as the arsonist and firefighter of the volatile region. Using the revenue generated by selling its vast natural gas reserves, the third largest after Russia and Iran, Qatar has gained political leverage in the Middle East at the cost of traditional powers of the region. It houses the largest US air base in the region at Al Udeid, mediated the US-Iran prisoner swap deal in 2023, mediated the withdrawal of US-led coalition forces in 2021 from Afghanistan by giving shelter to Taliban leadership, was involved in Gaza ceasefire and release of hostages, is fri...