Qatari Foreign Policy and the Exercise of Subtle Power Qatar is exercising a new form of power that does not conform to our traditional conceptions of “soft,” “hard,” or “smart” power. This new, composite form of power can be best described as “subtle power”. Qatari foreign policy is comprised of four primary components. These include hedging, military security and protection, branding and hyperactive diplomacy, and international investments. Whereas most other Arab states of the Persian Gulf have adopted bandwagoning as their preferred foreign policy approach, Qatar has opted for hedging by placing a big bet one way—positioning itself under the American security umbrella—while placing a number of smaller bets the other way—as in maintaining warm relations with Iran and Hamas. This has enabled the country to maintain open lines of communications with multiple actors, thus uniquely positioning it the crosscurrents of global and especially regional developments. Military security and protection, guaranteed by the United States, has enabled the state to maintain an extremely active diplomatic profile and to engage in risky ventures it would otherwise have abstained from, as in the Libyan and Syrian uprisings, which have only enhanced Qatar’s carefully crafted image as an active member of the international community. Also supporting this image, backed up by an aggressive global branding campaign, have been Qatari mediation efforts as well as the expansive activities and influence of Al Jazeera television channel. Inordinate financial resources have meanwhile turned Qatar into an aggressive global investor both in East Asia and in Western Europe. Combined, these four foreign policy components have bestowed Qatar with a level of power and influence that is far beyond its status as a small state and a newcomer to regional and global politics. This type of power is neither rooted in the attraction of norms (soft power) nor in military ability (hard power). It consists of a form of often behind-the-scenes agenda setting that may best be described as subtle power.