- WASHINGTON - Soon after President
Bush's speech to the United Nations on Thursday, where he will lay out
the case for ousting Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, U.S. Central Command
headquarters will start moving from Tampa, Fla., to an air base in Qatar,
highly placed U.S. military sources told Fox News.
The sources said Central Command (CENTCOM) headquarters will start shifting
people and equipment to Qatar beginning Friday.
The moving of the headquarters to the Persian Gulf is a very visible sign
that the U.S. military is preparing for future operations against Iraq.
Qatar is situated about halfway along the west coast of the Gulf -- and
recent improvements to the air base there have been significant.
The Al-Udied Air Base boasts the longest runway in the Gulf, and recent
satellite photographs show how construction has improved not only hangers
but troop barracks as well.
KC-130 refueling planes are seen in the latest satellite shots -- but during
Operation Enduring Freedom Al-Udied has been the base for a large complement
of U.S. warplanes, reconnaissance aircraft and several thousand U.S. troops.
Beginning in the fall of 2001 -- the U.S. military started installing computers,
communications and intelligence equipment at Al-Udied as a backup to the
Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia.
The sources gave no confirmation of when Gen. Tommy Franks, CENTCOM's commander
who is running the war in Afghanistan, will be going over to Qatar.
Military sources also told Fox News that there will be an increased effort
by U.S. and coalition aircraft patrolling Iraq's southern and northern
no-fly zones to take out Iraq's air defense capability.
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