News agency reports US secretly elongating army base agreement with Qatar
(MENAFN) In a discreet move, the United States has inked a secret deal with Qatar to prolong the presence of American troops at the Al Udeid Air Base, CNN reports, citing unnamed United States officials. The agreement signifies an extension of at least ten years, solidifying the strategic importance of the base, which has been the largest United States military installation in the Middle East since 2003.
Al Udeid, nestled in the desert southwest of Doha, has the capacity to accommodate up to 10,000 servicemen and is utilized by not only the United States military but also the Qatari and British air forces. The undisclosed deal comes at a time when Qatar faces heightened scrutiny for hosting senior leaders of Hamas, the Palestinian armed group.
Despite criticism, officials in Doha have defended their decision, pointing out that Hamas was allowed to establish a political office in Qatar in 2012 at the request of then-United States President Barack Obama. The extension of the American presence at Al Udeid, as highlighted by CNN, underscores Washington's reliance on Qatar, a country that played a pivotal role in mediating the release of United States captives held by Hamas.
The geopolitical landscape further complicates with the United States standing firmly behind Israel during its military operation in Gaza, triggered by a Hamas attack on October 7 that resulted in 1,200 casualties and 240 individuals being taken hostage. While President Joe Biden has criticized the Israel Defense Forces for what he deemed "indiscriminate" bombing in the Palestinian enclave, he warned that such policies could jeopardize international support for the Jewish state. The death toll from the Israeli attacks on Gaza has now surpassed 22,000, according to the Palestinian enclave's health ministry.
This clandestine extension of the military presence at Al Udeid Air Base raises questions about the intricate dynamics between the United States, Qatar, and the broader Middle East region, especially as controversies surrounding Hamas and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict continue to unfold.
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