I'm not an expert but I've read that Middle Eastern diplomacy is particularly personal. In places like Qatar, all the top guys know each other and are cousins o

I'm not an expert but I've read that Middle Eastern diplomacy is particularly personal. In places like Qatar, all the top guys know each other and are cousins or whatever, and their family ties go back hundreds of years. It's not like in Sweden or something where diplomacy happens between institutions more than between people. In traditional cultures, if you refuse a gift then it's almost like saying "I refuse to be bound with you." It's a big insult and almost a threat that you'll one day betray them. Try refusing a gift from your Chinese or Qatari or Swahili father-in-law and see how that goes. Accepting the jet today means that the Qatari's may accept your data center tomorrow.