The U.S. Department of War has approved plans for the Qatari Emiri Air Force to establish a facility at Mountain Home Air Base in Idaho — marking the first time Qatar will operate a permanent military training presence on U.S. soil. . Sec War Pete Hegseth & Qatari Minister of Defense Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani signed a letter of acceptance at the Pentagon on Friday, authorizing Qatar to base F-15 fighter jets and pilots at the site in order to train alongside U.S. Airmen. The goal, according to the Pentagon, is to “enhance combined training, increase lethality & improve interoperability.” . While the move appears sudden to critics, the plan has been years in the making. In 2017, the U.S. inked a $12 billion deal to sell Boeing F-15s to Qatar, followed by a 2019 training contract to prepare Qatari aircrew and maintenance teams. In 2022, Idaho’s Mountain Home base was preparing housing and support facilities for roughly 170 Qatari trainees and their families...so this announce...