I think that Qatar having overt foreign interests and acting on them is the real shift. I think it is far less about religion than it is about national strategic interests--back the old regime in Bahrain but topple Syria's government. The rebels in Syria and Libya bound to have a more Islamist bent than the quasi-secularist governments, just as in Iraq.

That other's are starting to notice Qatar's heightened involvement, and responding negatively, is intriguing. Yes, Qataris will likely soon learn what it is like to be targeted by foreign nationals for their government's policies (whether they agree with them personally or not).