In a single bombing run, the regional perception of the United States and its future role in the Middle East changed.
The Bush 43 invasion and Obama withdrawal from Iraq left Iran as the predominant regional power. The disastrous Biden withdrawal from Afghanistan returned the al Qaeda allied Taliban to power, armed with a complete inventory of American weaponry.
Middle East countries watched in amazement as American concessions to religious extremists allowed Iran to become intolerably closer to possessing nuclear weapons. These countries could only wonder how long before the world’s leading exporter of terrorism would use those nuclear weapons against them.
Because of a president who was willing to order a necessary mission and skilled pilots able to deliver payloads that only America possessed with aircraft that no nation can rival, Iran is no longer a looming nuclear threat.
But the fight wasn’t over. In an attempt to save face and claim some sort of victory, Iran launched missiles against U.S. Central Command’s (CENTCOM) forward headquarters at al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, on June 23. Just as Iran failed to break Israel’s Iron Dome and start a religious war, it failed to penetrate Qatar’s air defense systems.
Armed with American-made Patriot surface-to-air missiles and other defense systems, Qatari and CENTCOM forces took down all but one of the 14 Iranian ballistic missiles. Not a single Qatari citizen, U.S. service member, nor one of the thousands of American civilians living in Qatar was injured by Iranian missiles.
This success came just weeks after a group of U.S. Senate Democrats filed a resolution to block $1.9 billion in military sales to Qatar, which included MQ-9B Predator drones and had been approved by the State Department in March. The resolution ultimately failed, with the Senate voting 56–39 against it.
This failed attempt to tie the administration’s hands is yet another example of domestic political disputes undermining America’s national security and the security of its strategic partners.
For over two decades, Al Udeid has played a key role in maintaining peace and security in the region.
Qatar has long supported the United States both politically and logistically in Afghanistan and other locations. On June 23, it elevated that partnership further by becoming the only Gulf state to use its defense systems directly to protect U.S. military interests and to have engaged in military action against Iran, which exposes it to further retaliation.
Al Udeid is a joint base; it is operated and defended jointly by Qatari and U.S. armed forces and civilian personnel. It is located only a few miles from central Doha. Those who minimize the impact of the strikes against Qatar ignore a brutal reality.
Yes, the U.S. had moved its planes and personnel out of Al Udeid in advance of the attack, and yes, the missiles were shot down or missed their targets. But as errant Iranian missile strikes against Israel have dramatically shown, Iran’s missiles are not the smartest.
They are weapons of terror, built and deployed to kill indiscriminately. And when Iran’s leaders made the decision to launch them, that was their intention, which is why the missiles launched against Qatar were armed with high explosives. They made a deliberate, calculated choice to cause maximum damage.
Instead, operations at Al Udeid were up and fully running the next day, on June 24. The attack failed and the worst outcomes were avoided because of Qatar’s country’s sustained investment in its military — and ours.
The billions that Qatar has spent on U.S. defense equipment, training partnerships and infrastructure at al Udeid (a total of more than $8 billion since 2003) demonstrated its value.
Americans have long called on Middle East countries to take more aggressive action in their own defense. Yet at the very time Qatar has proven its determination to do this, Senate Democrats want to block it from purchasing the means to stop hostile attacks.
Instead of acknowledging that Qatar is one of our most steadfast and capable strategic partners, know-nothing critics continue to claim that Qatar purchases U.S. military equipment to curry favor with Washington. The truth is that Qatar seeks to acquire the best military equipment available, which America produces.
During his visit to al Udeid in May, President Trump announced plans for Qatar to invest an additional $42 billion in advanced U.S. military equipment. This includes Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile batteries, KC-46 Pegasus refueling aircraft, Desert Vipers, light armored vehicles, amphibious combat vehicles, MQ-9B drones, and Sky Guardian systems.
In light of recent events, this procurement should be expedited, and the United States should consider granting Qatar preferential defense partner status. Just as it did on June 23rd, Qatar’s regional defense spending will continue to prove its strategic value.
Qatar is leading the way in stabilizing the Middle East. It has shown a consistent willingness to go beyond expectations in defending its own, regional and American security interests. This ranges from its well-established role as an international mediator to now as a credible and capable military partner.
The time has come to reconsider the balance of regional partnerships and team closer with Qatar as it continues to progress as one of America’s most reliable and strategically aligned partners in the Middle East.
Colonel (Retired) Wes Martin — a retired U.S. Army colonel, has served in law enforcement positions around the world and holds a MBA in International Politics and Business. Read reports from Col. (Ret.) Wes Martin —? More Here.
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