WASHINGTON, US
The United States has quietly reached an agreement that extends its military presence at a sprawling base in Qatar for another 10 years, three US defense officials and another official familiar with the agreement told CNN.
The deal, which has
not been announced publicly, highlights Washington’s reliance on the
tiny Gulf country that has recently played a central role in mediating
the release of Americans from captivity in Gaza and Venezuela.
The Al Udeid Air Base, located
in the desert southwest of Doha, is the biggest US military installation in the
Middle East and can house more than 10,000 American troops.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd
Austin visited Al Udeid last month where he thanked Qatar for their increased spending on the
base.
But he made no
mention of the renewal and the Biden administration has not publicized it – at
a time when Qatar has come under growing scrutiny for hosting senior Hamas
leaders. Qatari officials have countered that it was only after a US request during
the Obama administration that Hamas was allowed to open a political office in
Doha.
The base has been
a pivotal hub for the US Central Command’s air operations in or around
Afghanistan, Iran and across the Middle East. The Qatari and British Air Forces
also operate from the base.
The extension comes as the US
has bolstered its presence in the region amid escalating threats from
Iran-backed militant groups in Iraq, Syria and Yemen.
After Hamas kidnapped some 240
hostages from Israel on October 7, Qatar has been the primary go-between with
Hamas to broker the initial release of scores of the Israeli and international
hostages. It continues to be central in the talks to try to revive hostage
negotiations, coordinating with the CIA and Israel’s Mossad, as well as Egypt.
Their part in the months of
negotiations over Americans detained by Venezuela was less public but came
to light after President Nicolas Maduro released 10 Americans last
month in exchange for a close ally accused by the US of laundering hundreds of
millions of dollars.
Qatar’s involvement in both
sets of negotiations has been seen as an extension of the mediating
role the country has taken on with other US enemies, including Iran
and the Taliban. Its vast oil and natural gas wealth, coupled with
ability to act as a facilitator, allow Qatar to punch above its weight,
analysts say.
While their hosting of Hamas
leadership was no secret, the brutality of the October 7 massacre in
Israel has ignited criticism of Qatar and calls for them to expel Hamas.
President Joe Biden has spoken
about his conversations with Qatar’s emir but at times hasn’t given them the
credit they feel they deserve. Biden did not mention Qatar in a
November op-ed in The Washington Post, while Egypt and other
Middle East allies were referenced. Nor did Biden highlight Qatar’s part in the
release of the detainees in Venezuela in his official statement.
The Pentagon also declined
CNN’s request for comment Tuesday.
Thousands of Afghans were
flown from Kabul to Al Udeid during the chaotic American withdrawal from
Afghanistan in 2021. US military personnel struggled to
provide for the massive influx of refugees from what Biden
called “one of the largest, most difficult airlifts in history.”
Qatar has committed billions of its own funds upgrade the
facilities for US Airmen at the base. Al Udeid became CENTCOM’s main air base
in 2003, shifting forces
and assets from the Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, where the presence
of a large number of American military personnel was more sensitive and
controversial.
While Austin didn’t announce
the extension of the Al Udeid agreement during his visit at the base last
month, he did say that the US and Qatar “will formally take steps forward to
expand and reinforce our bilateral defense relationship.”
“We’ll do this through Qatar’s
commitment to contribute significant resources to increase capabilities here at
Al Udeid Air Base, and that will support both of our forces for years to come,”
Austin added.
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