Why Qatar is building a training facility at a US military base

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho will host a training facility from the Qatari air force. The base, which is still under American control, will allow pilots from Qatar to train on the F-15 Fighter planes purchased back from America. The deal follows the long tradition of American forces training a foreign army, despite the move initially sparking social media outrage due to fears of a "foreign base" inside America, according to the Washington Post.

Why Qatar chose Idaho

Qatar is a small country, so extensive training with big-scale activities is challenging, particularly with activities such as live-fire exercises. Mountain Home's desert plateau is comparable to Qatar's wide open desert landscape, providing a comparable training situation.