(Christian Science Monitor) Nicholas Blanford - Qatar, a tiny oil- and gas-rich peninsula jutting into the Persian Gulf, is a key Arab ally for Washington in a region where anti-American sentiment has been on the rise, and old allies have balked at assisting the U.S. with its war plans. Qatar, isolated and vulnerable, has hitched its prospects to the United States with few reservations. It has placed no operational restrictions on the U.S. military, which has encouraged an expansion of Al-Udeid base in recent months and the transfer of equipment from the Prince Sultan air base south of Riyadh in Saudi Arabia.
2002-09-20 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive