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By Amira El-Fekki
Middle East News Reporter
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U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) and Qatar on Monday inaugurated the Middle East’s first bilateral Combined Command Post for air defense at Al Udeid Air Base.
Why It Matters
Al Udeid Air Base was targeted by Iranian missiles in response to U.S. bombings of nuclear facilities in June during the Iran-Israeli conflict. The U.S. has deepened military partnership in Qatar in the aftermath of Israeli strikes in September on Doha, targeting a Hamas delegation during U.S.-Qatar-mediated Gaza ceasefire talks.
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Under President Donald Trump's administration, the growing relationship with Qatar caused controversy, including over the establishment of a Qatari Emiri Air Force facility in Idaho, and the high-profile gift of a Qatari plane to be used as future Air Force One, which drew criticism and scrutiny in Washington.
What To Know
CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper and Chief of Staff of Qatar Armed Forces Lieutenant General Jassim Al-Mannai celebrated the facility’s opening during a ribbon-cutting ceremony, CENTCOM said in a short statement on its official X account Monday. Al Udeid Air Base enables the U.S. to project power against threats in the region, especially Iran.
Qatar has positioned itself as both a Middle East mediator and a U.S. power broker for the Trump administration, pledging over $1 trillion in economic commitments during the president’s visit to the region in May.
In September, Trump issued an executive order declaring that any armed attack on Qatar’s territory, sovereignty or critical infrastructure will be treated as a threat to U.S. peace and security. The security guarantee pledge was the first of its kind by the U.S. to any Arab nation.
"In the event of such an attack, the United States shall take all lawful and appropriate measures—including diplomatic, economic, and, if necessary, military—to defend the interests of the United States and of the State of Qatar and to restore peace and stability," read the executive order published by the White House on September 29.
The U.S. also announced approving the construction of a facility for the Qatari Air Force to train in Idaho.
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What People Are Saying
Commander, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), Admiral Brad Cooper said in a statement Monday: "The military-to-military relationship with Qatar is stronger than ever. The new Combined Command Post for air defense will enhance regional security cooperation today and in months and years to come."
Dan Perry, former Middle East and Europe/Africa editor at The Associated Press, wrote in an opinion piece for Newsweek on October 3: "Now Qatar—a state that shelters Hamas leaders, bankrolls Muslim Brotherhood offshoots, and runs influence operations the world over—enjoys the protection of an American guarantee. For Doha, this is the jackpot."
Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari told Newsweek in an interview on September 22: "We have total confidence not only in our shared belief of security in the region, but in the partnership with the United States for it."
What Happens Next
The U.S. and Qatar are working to uphold the fragile Gaza ceasefire amid tensions between Israel and Hamas, with the next steps likely to include coordination of regional forces to monitor the ceasefire and support stability.
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