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Bush set to get hero's welcome in Qatar Wednesday, 04 June , 2003, 17:28 http://sify.com/news/international/fullstory.php?id=13163610 As-Sayliyah(Qatar): US forces were Wednesday preparing a hero's welcome for President George W. Bush at the Qatar base used as the command and control centre for the war on Iraq. "We want the world to see the president with the American troops and coalition troops," US Army Major Joshua Elliot told AFP at As-Saliyah base. "There will be about 2,500 soldiers and sailors: everybody wants to see the president," Elliot said. Polished military vehicles, camouflage netting, banners and flags of coalition member countries that fought to oust Saddam Hussein's regime from power will provide the backdrop for Bush's speech at the base early Thursday. Bush will fly into Qatar's huge Al-Udeid airbase -- 35 kilometres (20 miles) south of capital Doha -- from the Jordanian resort of Aqaba where he met with prime ministers Ariel Sharon of Israel and Palestinian Mahmud Abbas. The US president's itinerary on arrival in Qatar has been kept under wraps for security reasons, but he was expected to hold talks late Wednesday with Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani. While the streets of downtown Doha remain quiet and bereft of any US and Qatari flags, US Central Command spokesman Captain Eric Clark promised all the pomp at a "big, honourable ceremony" at As-Saliyah, which hosted some 3,000 US troops during the war on Iraq. "We're talking about the most powerful man in the world," Clark said. "His visit to this base is a source of pride for all of us. It's a wonderful occasion." "The soldiers are very excited at the prospect of shaking hands with the president and have him look them in the eye and express thanks for their big efforts during Operation Iraq Freedom." Bush's visit to gas-rich Qatar was greeted by Wednesday's Arabic-language press as "historic," with one paper devoting a full page to US-Qatari ties. Following its key role in the US-led war on Iraq and after serving as an airbase for the war on Afghanistan, Qatar has become the new focal point for US military deployment in the region. It has replaced Saudi Arabia -- whose ties with Washington have been severely tested since the 9/11 terror attacks in the United States -- as headquarters of a US state-of-the-art combined air command centre. "We like Qatar and Qatar likes us," Major Elliot said of the presence of US forces in the tiny Gulf state. Doha has come out in favour of US plans to promote democracy in the Arab world and has initiated a number of reforms at home. It has also shown its ambition to play a prominent role by trying to mediate in regional conflicts and forging political and economic, though not formal diplomatic, ties with Israel. Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem al-Thani met Israeli counterpart Silvan Shalom in Paris in May, pledging to seriously consider upgrading relations with Israel if progress was made in the peace process. Given Bush's kickstart to the roadmap for Middle East peace, Qatar has firmly cemented itself as one of the key US allies in the Arab world. _______________________________________________ Sent via the discussion list of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. To unsubscribe, visit http://lists.casi.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/casi-discuss To contact the list manager, email casi-discuss-admin@lists.casi.org.uk All postings are archived on CASI's website: http://www.casi.org.uk