SAYLIYAH (Qatar), 5 June 2003 — US forces were yesterday 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 today. Bush will fly into Qatar’s huge Al-Udeid airbase — 35 km 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 yesterday with Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad ibn 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, honorable 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 the 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 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.