After gifting a $400 million Boeing 747-8 jet to the United States, the Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, quietly retreated to the serene waters of the Mediterranean aboard his half-a-billion-dollar floating palace, Al Lusail. The move, extravagant yet calculated, underscored not only the emir’s immense personal wealth but also the broader display of Gulf state soft power woven into diplomatic gestures and billion-dollar luxury. While the jet grabbed headlines in Washington, the Emir’s superyacht made its way to the picturesque shores of Mallorca in Spain, docking discreetly at Port Andratx. In a week that blended global politics...