Qatar to build ‘air force facility’ at US base; move enhances US-backed ‘lethality’: Pentagon
The Pentagon has announced that Qatar would build and operate an “air force facility” inside a US Air Force base in Idaho, saying the move is aimed at increased Washington-backed “lethality.”
US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced the development on Friday, appearing alongside Qatari Defense Minister Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.
The former said the two sides had finalized an agreement allowing the Qatari Emiri Air Force to construct hangars and squadron buildings for its F-15QA jets at Mountain Home Air Force Base, roughly 50 miles (80 kilometers) southeast of state capital Boise.
He added that the facility “will host a contingent of Qatari F-15s and pilots to enhance our combined training, increase lethality, and interoperability.”
‘Not a foreign base’
President Donald Trump’s dedicated allies rushed to denounce the development.
Those included Laura Loomer, a far-right influencer, who labeled it “an abomination,” adding, “No foreign country should have a military base on US soil...”
Air Force spokesperson Ann Stefanek, however, brushed off criticism defining the structure as a “foreign base.”
She described the facility as part of a long-standing program to train “allied” forces, and compared the deal to existing arrangements with Singapore and Germany, both of which maintain units at US bases.
Critics also faulted the timing of the partnership that followed Qatar’s gift of a $400-million Boeing 747-8, now slated to become Air Force One.
American officials, though, claimed the agreement predated the gift.
Last month, President Donald Trump signed an executive order "assuring the security of the state of Qatar.”
The order came after Israeli airstrikes against Doha that was followed by far-and-wide condemnation.
US envoy defends Israel's Qatar attack, says Netanyahu 'will go anywhere, do anything' https://t.co/qMyFGOnu9f
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The monarchy also slammed the US over its having refused to warn Doha about the prospect of the aggression, despite knowing in advance about the planned assaults against the Qatari capital by Washington’s closest regional ally, Tel Aviv.
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