Has Qatar's attempt to use the World Cup to boost its "soft power" backfired, leaving the country "drowning in bad publicity?"

When it comes to the upcoming World Cup in November and December, Qatar has experienced a deluge of negative press. With the world's attention focused on the desert nation for the football extravaganza, Western media and NGOs have criticized the country's human rights record, particularly its treatment of migrant laborers. While this may have an impact on Qatar's soft power, the country's vast natural gas reserves are more infl....