Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

angrychair

(11,247 posts)
Fri Oct 10, 2025, 12:22 PM Friday

Qatar to build an Air Force Base in Idaho

Sec of Def Keggerseth signed an agreement with Qatar to establish an Qatari Emeri Air Force facility in Idaho.

I guess if you pay enough money to thr president you can even have your own military base in America.
No matter they support terrorists and use foreign slave labor as long as they keep the president flush with cash, it's all good.

Source:

Nothing says “America First” like letting another country put an Air Force base in Idaho

The Tennessee Holler (@thetnholler.bsky.social) 2025-10-10T14:57:43.610Z
36 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Qatar to build an Air Force Base in Idaho (Original Post) angrychair Friday OP
WTF? I've never heard of such a thing even being considered before. Vinca Friday #1
They probably gave a pile of money to Bettie Friday #5
Not that I'm aware...but... angrychair Friday #6
From what I read somewhere else it seems more like a training facility JI7 Friday #2
It is of sorts angrychair Friday #11
Is it possible that the Qataris will be living on base, Ilsa Friday #20
well, it seems this is Trumps trade for the plane. IMHO riversedge Friday #27
FWIW, this is not a big deal. Happy Hoosier Friday #3
Couldn't find one for SA angrychair Friday #8
My experience.... Happy Hoosier Friday #15
Training I get angrychair Friday #17
Yeah , no big deal. CivicGrief Friday #9
K&R for, disgusting regime has no bottom. UTUSN Friday #4
Hegseth enabling a muslim invasion of the US Bernardo de La Paz Friday #7
Exactly. CivicGrief Friday #12
It gets more and more bizarre NameAlreadyTaken Friday #10
Slaves to ME streamlined Clouds Passing Friday #13
Proxy military to suppress dissent/opposition. Wuddles440 Friday #14
WTF!!!! nt doc03 Friday #16
At first I thought, what's the big deal? Let them build a base for our Air Force! Then I read the post. Glorious bastard Friday #18
wtf AllaN01Bear Friday #19
So can you imagine the outrage and screaming if President Obama and President Biden allowed this to happen? kimbutgar Friday #21
The sales agreement for the planes was signed in 2017 under Trump Abnredleg Friday #26
Will the Qataris get sovereign status at this facility. Prairie_Seagull Friday #22
No Abnredleg Friday #28
Thank you Abnredleg. nt Prairie_Seagull Friday #29
Yes. Making and selling weapons is big business CivicGrief Friday #34
What the actual everlasting fuck is going on with these fucking fuckity fucks ms liberty Friday #23
the repugs are selling the country out Nigrum Cattus Friday #24
The 9/11 pilots got private flight school training here and there DFW Friday #25
Back in the late 70's when I was going through Hey Joe Friday #30
Mega is freaking out about this bob4460 Friday #31
They served their purpose. Now, who cares what they think? nt Buns_of_Fire Friday #32
Idaho. This could get interesting. A state full of MAGATs and "sovereign citizens". roamer65 Friday #33
anyone want to even dare to imagine what the reaction would be if Biden let a mideast country establish a base in Idaho? Takket Friday #35
Will his gifted "Allah Force One" be able to land there? RedWhiteBlueIsRacist Friday #36

Bettie

(18,947 posts)
5. They probably gave a pile of money to
Fri Oct 10, 2025, 12:33 PM
Friday

The orange man and some booze to Hegseth, so it is happening.

What could possibly go wrong? SMH

angrychair

(11,247 posts)
6. Not that I'm aware...but...
Fri Oct 10, 2025, 12:35 PM
Friday

There is a permanent German military presence at Ft Bliss Texas but that is as close as it gets as far as I can tell.
That said it appears this is not an independent base but a permanent facility maintained by them at Mountain Home Air Force Base that will maintain fifteen F-15s for training and joint exercises.

JI7

(92,768 posts)
2. From what I read somewhere else it seems more like a training facility
Fri Oct 10, 2025, 12:27 PM
Friday

To train Qataris on using American military equipment they will buy from us.

But I wouldn't trust Trump with much and it could be part of what he is giving them in exchange for that plane.

angrychair

(11,247 posts)
11. It is of sorts
Fri Oct 10, 2025, 12:46 PM
Friday

Except it's a permanent facility on Mountain Home Air Force Base where they will keep fifteen F-15s.

But it could allow them to run missions and even false flag operations within US borders and this administration can claim ignorance of it all because it's not being down under US military command. That is my concern is independent oversight of their actions and movements.

Ilsa

(63,428 posts)
20. Is it possible that the Qataris will be living on base,
Fri Oct 10, 2025, 02:56 PM
Friday

and therefore pretty much out of sight of locals most of the time? Do they bring families?

I'm thinking many Idahoans will be frustrated by having Middle Easterners around. They don't even like OB/GYNs!

Happy Hoosier

(9,131 posts)
3. FWIW, this is not a big deal.
Fri Oct 10, 2025, 12:29 PM
Friday

It will be a facility where their pilots are trained to fly their US Jets. A number of other nations have such facilities in the US, including Saudi Arabia and Germany.

angrychair

(11,247 posts)
8. Couldn't find one for SA
Fri Oct 10, 2025, 12:38 PM
Friday

But Germany does maintain a permanent presence at Ft Bliss Texas and we host training in Arizona but no one maintains a permanent facility there as far as I can tell from my searches and feedback on Reddit

Happy Hoosier

(9,131 posts)
15. My experience....
Fri Oct 10, 2025, 01:22 PM
Friday

was that Germany had a facility at Holloman AFB (used for EW training), and Saudi had a Mountain Home facility for their F-15 pilots. Could be that one or both are gone now, but my point is such facilities are not unusual for nations that need to train their people on US produced equipment.

angrychair

(11,247 posts)
17. Training I get
Fri Oct 10, 2025, 02:12 PM
Friday

But a permanent presence on a US military base is still unusual, especially for someone that has not been historically been an ally of the United States.

I think a permanent presence should only be allowed by our closet and most trusted allies. Not people that just partnered with him on a multi-billion dollar private investment in their country.

CivicGrief

(249 posts)
9. Yeah , no big deal.
Fri Oct 10, 2025, 12:41 PM
Friday

Just drumming up business for the military-industrial complex. Will the weapons be used on civilians or combatants? Is there a difference these days?

Bernardo de La Paz

(59,462 posts)
7. Hegseth enabling a muslim invasion of the US
Fri Oct 10, 2025, 12:38 PM
Friday

That would be the line maga / tRump would take if Biden had done it. Now it's okay with them.

CivicGrief

(249 posts)
12. Exactly.
Fri Oct 10, 2025, 12:47 PM
Friday

But for Trump, it just shows what a great businessman he is. Hail (or is it heil?) to the king.

Glorious bastard

(107 posts)
18. At first I thought, what's the big deal? Let them build a base for our Air Force! Then I read the post.
Fri Oct 10, 2025, 02:14 PM
Friday

WTF?????

kimbutgar

(26,230 posts)
21. So can you imagine the outrage and screaming if President Obama and President Biden allowed this to happen?
Fri Oct 10, 2025, 03:06 PM
Friday

Sorry I feel this is bad for our national security interests and I hope there is an outrage.

But I know, unless Fox and the reich wing media oks it they’ll say nothing.

And I wonder if Idaho will be ok with all these brown Muslims coming into their white power state?

Abnredleg

(1,213 posts)
26. The sales agreement for the planes was signed in 2017 under Trump
Fri Oct 10, 2025, 03:52 PM
Friday

Which meant it was negotiated under Obama. Basing agreements take years to negotiate and that was done under the Biden administration.

Here’s an article from 2022

https://www.stripes.com/branches/air_force/2022-01-18/deal-qatar-air-rorce-members-idaho-base-4330963.html

Prairie_Seagull

(4,437 posts)
22. Will the Qataris get sovereign status at this facility.
Fri Oct 10, 2025, 03:08 PM
Friday

Not to unlike an embassy? This could be argued as a quid pro quo.

Short on facts at this point.

IMO

Abnredleg

(1,213 posts)
28. No
Fri Oct 10, 2025, 03:55 PM
Friday

Singapore also has a training facility at the same base and it doesn’t have sovereign status. Neither does the German facility at Holloman AFB.

We’ve been doing stuff like this for decades.

DFW

(59,126 posts)
25. The 9/11 pilots got private flight school training here and there
Fri Oct 10, 2025, 03:44 PM
Friday

This is far more practical. They don’t have hide their location or purpose any more.

Hey Joe

(257 posts)
30. Back in the late 70's when I was going through
Fri Oct 10, 2025, 04:15 PM
Friday

Navy A-school in Great Lakes Naval Training Center, the base was full of Iranian Naval officers going through some of their training.
We had to salute them too.
But they certainly did not have their own base.

roamer65

(37,805 posts)
33. Idaho. This could get interesting. A state full of MAGATs and "sovereign citizens".
Fri Oct 10, 2025, 04:53 PM
Friday

What could go wrong?

Takket

(23,288 posts)
35. anyone want to even dare to imagine what the reaction would be if Biden let a mideast country establish a base in Idaho?
Fri Oct 10, 2025, 11:04 PM
Friday

or even what the reaction would be if he let the UK do it in a blue state like Connecticut?

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Qatar to build an Air For...