"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2017-06-05T06:51:38Z"
data-video-section="politics"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2017/06/05/tillerson-gcc-qatar-reaction-australia-presser-sot.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="tillerson gcc qatar reaction australia presser sot"
data-first-publish-slug="tillerson gcc qatar reaction australia presser sot"
data-video-tags="business figures,counterterrorism,government and public administration,government bodies and offices,international relations,international relations and national security,middle east,middle east and north africa,national security,qatar,rex tillerson,state departments and diplomatic services,terrorism,terrorism and counter-terrorism,unrest, conflicts and war"
data-details="">
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2017-06-05T06:51:38Z"
data-video-section="politics"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2017/06/05/tillerson-gcc-qatar-reaction-australia-presser-sot.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="tillerson gcc qatar reaction australia presser sot"
data-first-publish-slug="tillerson gcc qatar reaction australia presser sot"
data-video-tags="business figures,counterterrorism,government and public administration,government bodies and offices,international relations,international relations and national security,middle east,middle east and north africa,national security,qatar,rex tillerson,state departments and diplomatic services,terrorism,terrorism and counter-terrorism,unrest, conflicts and war"
data-details="">
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2017-06-05T06:19:32Z"
data-video-section="world"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/world/2017/06/05/middle-east-countries-cut-ties-with-qatar-lila-intv.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="middle east countries cut ties with qatar lila intv"
data-first-publish-slug="middle east countries cut ties with qatar lila intv"
data-video-tags="international relations,international relations and national security,middle east,middle east and north africa,national security,qatar,terrorism,terrorism and counter-terrorism,unrest, conflicts and war,africa,bahrain,egypt,northern africa,saudi arabia,united arab emirates"
data-details="">
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2017-05-21T18:45:22Z"
data-video-section="tv"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/tv/2017/05/21/saudi-energy-deals.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="saudi energy deals"
data-first-publish-slug="saudi energy deals"
data-video-tags="business and industry sectors,business, economy and trade,commerce departments,economic development,economy and economic indicators,emerging markets,energy and resources,energy and utilities,government and public administration,government bodies and offices,john defterios,middle east,middle east and north africa,riyadh,saudi arabia,trade and development"
data-details="">
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2017-03-28T08:47:46Z"
data-video-section="sport"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/sports/2017/03/27/dubai-world-cup-race-wrap-arrogate-sheikh-mohammed-uae-winning-post-spc.cnn"
data-branding-key="winning-post"
data-video-slug="dubai world cup race wrap arrogate sheikh mohammed UAE winning post spc"
data-first-publish-slug="dubai world cup race wrap arrogate sheikh mohammed UAE winning post spc"
data-video-tags="animals,dubai,dubai world cup,equestrian events,equestrian sports,horse racing,horses,life forms,mammals,middle east,middle east and north africa,sports and recreation,sports events,sports fans,united arab emirates"
data-details="">
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2017-05-28T14:46:45Z"
data-video-section="politics"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2017/05/28/fareeds-take-saudi-arabia-terrorism.cnn"
data-branding-key="start-sunday-smarter"
data-video-slug="fareeds take saudi arabia terrorism"
data-first-publish-slug="fareeds take saudi arabia terrorism"
data-video-tags="donald trump,fareed zakaria,government and public administration,government bodies and offices,international relations and national security,middle east,middle east and north africa,national security,political figures - us,saudi arabia,terrorism,terrorism and counter-terrorism,unrest, conflicts and war,us federal government,white house"
data-details="">
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2017-04-28T21:01:14Z"
data-video-section="world"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/world/2017/04/28/pope-francis-egypt-visit-coptic-christians-islam-lklv-gallagher-cnni.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="pope francis egypt visit coptic christians islam lklv gallagher cnni"
data-first-publish-slug="pope francis egypt visit coptic christians islam lklv gallagher cnni"
data-video-tags="africa,belief, religion and spirituality,catholics and catholicism,christianity,coptic christians,egypt,middle east and north africa,minority and ethnic groups,northern africa,papacy and the pope,pope francis,religious groups,society"
data-details="">
One of Saudi Arabia biggest allies, however, is the United States, which also happens to maintain its biggest concentration of military personnel in the Middle East at Qatar’s Al Udeid Air Base.
The sprawling base 20 miles southwest of the Qatari capital of Doha is home to some 11,000 US military personnel.
The US Combined Air Operations Center (CAOC) at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, provides command and control of air power throughout Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, and 17 other nations.
Tech. Sgt. Joshua Strang/USAF
The base, which boasts one of the longest runways in the Persian Gulf at 12,500 feet, is a strategically important facility that can accommodate up to 120 aircraft.
According to a 2014 congressional research paper by Middle Eastern specialist, Christopher M. Blanchard, Qatar invested over $1 billion to construct the air base during the 1990s, despite having only a small air force of its own at the time. This in turn, “facilitated gradually deeper cooperation with US military forces.”
The base houses the forward headquarters of the US Air Force Central Command, Combined Air and Space Operations Center and the 379th Air Expedition Wing.
The Combined Air and Space Operations Center (CAOC) oversees US military air power in Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq and 18 other nations, according to the Air Force.
Manned by personnel from the US Air Force, Army, Navy and Marines as well as coalition partner countries, the CAOC is “the nerve center” of air campaigns across the region, according to the Air Force.
A U.S. Air Force B-1 bomber takes off from Al Udeid Air Base for a strike against ISIS in 2015.
Staff Sgt. Sandra Welch/U.S. Air Force
Construction of the $60 million CAOC facility, which the Air Force says “resembles the set of a futuristic movie,” was completed in 2003. At that time the US moved the CAOC from Saudi Arabia’s Prince Sultan Air Base, where since 1997 it had overseen operations during the war in Iraq.
The 379th Air Expedition Wing is “the largest, most diverse expeditionary wing” in the Air Force, according to the wing’s website. It has more than 100 aircraft currently at the Qatar base, including combat planes like the B-1 bomber as well as planes for airlift, refueling and intelligence, the website says.
“Approximately every ten minutes, an aircraft is taking off or landing here – this is not just during the duty-day – it’s 24/7,” the wing’s website says.
