Retired Marine Corps Gen. Anthony Zinni, who previously led U.S. Central Command, has resigned from his post at the State Department where he was tasked with resolving the conflict in Qatar.
Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and Egypt severed ties with Qatar in June 2017 after it was suspected Qatar had financially assisted terrorist groups. Zinni, the most recent four-star general to depart the Trump administration, cited challenges with regional leaders as a factor contributing to his resignation.
“I resigned because I do not feel I could successfully help resolve the Qatar dispute because of the unwillingness of the regional leaders to agree to a viable mediation effort that we offered to conduct or assist in implementing,” Zinni told CBS News.
Zinni also claimed that he was no longer needed after launching the Middle East Strategic Alliance concept that would create a so-called “Arab NATO” between Sunni Muslim allies because other administration officials are advancing the plan.
Former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson had recruited Zinni for the position, but both men departed their posts at their respective agencies in 2018.
Previously, Zinni worked for former President George W. Bush as a special envoy to the Middle East.
