96-461: Central Command may refer to: United States Central Command AFP Central Command (Philippines) Central Command (India) Central Command (Israel) [REDACTED] Topics referred to by the same term This disambiguation page lists articles about military units and formations which are associated with the same title. If an internal link referred you to this page, you may wish to change
192-710: A 2010 survey of Doha's coastal waters conducted by the Qatar Statistics Authority , it was found that its maximum depth was 7.5 meters (25 ft) and minimum depth was 2 meters (6 ft 7 in). Furthermore, the waters had an average pH of 7.83, a salinity of 49.0 psu, an average temperature of 22.7 °C and 5.5 mg/L of dissolved oxygen. Doha has a hot desert climate ( Köppen climate classification BWh ) with long, extremely hot summers and short, mild to warm winters. The average high temperatures between May and September surpass 38 °C (100 °F) and often approach 45 °C (113 °F). Humidity
288-548: A combined population of 6,000 inhabitants, jointly referring to both towns by the name of 'Katar'. Doha was classified as the eastern section of Katar. The Ottomans held a passive role in Qatar's politics from the 1890s onward until fully relinquishing control during the beginning of the first World War . Pearling had come to play a pivotal commercial role in Doha by the 20th century. The population increased to around 12,000 inhabitants in
384-709: A harsh response from the British. A. H. Nott, a British naval commander, demanded that Salemin bin Nasir Al-Suwaidi, chief of the Sudan tribe (Suwaidi) in Al Bidda, take Ghuleta into custody and warned him of consequences in the case of non-compliance. Al-Suwaidi obliged the British request in February 1840 and also arrested the pirate Jasim bin Jabir and his associates. Despite the compliance,
480-460: A massive air interdiction campaign, which prepared the theater for a coalition ground assault. The primary coalition objective, the liberation of Kuwait, was achieved on 27 February, and the next morning a ceasefire was declared, just one hundred hours after the commencement of the ground campaign. The end of formal hostilities did not bring the end of difficulties with Iraq. Operation Provide Comfort , implemented to provide humanitarian assistance to
576-648: A native of Bahrain , prompting the Al Khalifa sheikh to imprison him. In response, the Al-Buainain tribe revolted, provoking the Al Khalifa to destroy the tribe's fort and evict them to Fuwayrit and Ar Ru'ays . This incident allowed the Al Khalifa additional jurisdiction over the town. With essentially no effective ruler, Al Bidda and Doha became a sanctuary for pirates and outlaws. In November 1839, an outlaw from Abu Dhabi named Ghuleta took refuge in Al Bidda, evoking
672-462: A natural harbor which is about 3 miles in extent and is protected on the north-east and south-east sides by natural reefs. The entrance, less than a mile wide, is from the east between the points of the reefs; it is shallow and somewhat difficult, and vessels of more than 15 feet draught cannot pass. The soundings within the basin vary from 3 to 5 fathoms and are regular: the bottom is white mud or clay. Townsite and quarters, — The south-eastern point of
768-557: A no-fly zone south of the 32nd parallel. In January 1997, Operation Northern Watch replaced Provide Comfort, with a focus on enforcing the northern no-fly zone. Throughout the decade, CENTCOM carried out a string of operations – Vigilant Warrior , Vigilant Sentinel , Desert Strike , Desert Thunder (I and II), and Desert Fox – to try to coerce Saddam into greater compliance with U.S. wishes. The 1990s also brought significant challenges in Somalia as well as from
864-587: A response to the October 2005 earthquake in Pakistan , and the large-scale evacuation of American citizens from Lebanon in 2006. On 1 October 2008, the Department of Defense transferred responsibility for Sudan , Eritrea , Ethiopia , Djibouti , Kenya, and Somalia to the newly established Africa Command. Egypt , home to Exercise Bright Star , the Department of Defense's largest reoccurring military exercise, remained in
960-565: A variable number of base locations depending on its level of operations. With ongoing warfare in Iraq and Afghanistan in 2003, the United States Air Force used 35 bases, while in 2006 it used 14, including four in Iraq. The United States Navy maintains one major base and one smaller installation, with extensive deployments afloat and ashore by U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Coast Guard ships, aviation units and ground units. Two of
1056-557: A war against international terrorism. CENTCOM soon launched Operation Enduring Freedom to expel the Taliban government in Afghanistan, which was harboring Al Qaida terrorists and hosting terrorist training camps. Exercise Internal Look has been employed for explicit war planning on at least two occasions: Internal Look '90, which dealt with a threat from Iraq, and Internal Look '03, which was used to plan what became Operation Iraqi Freedom -
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#17328526003001152-402: A weed. Herbs such as rabl ( Plantago psyllium ), which is found primarily near roadsides, and shih ( Artemisia inculta ) also occur infrequently. Prosopis juliflora , a type of mesquite tree locally known as ghoweif , is notable for having been the only feature on Palm Tree Island in the past. It was a previously popular tree cultivated around Qatar's urban areas, but this practice
1248-490: Is General Michael E. Kurilla , U.S. Army . Two of the last three United States Secretaries of Defense -- incumbent Lloyd Austin and James Mattis , both of whom required congressional waivers to be confirmed -- were recent CENTCOM commanders. Of all seven American regional unified combatant commands, CENTCOM is among four that are headquartered outside their area of operations (the other three being USAFRICOM , USSOUTHCOM , and USSPACECOM ). CENTCOM's main headquarters
1344-433: Is around one million, with the population of the city more than doubling from 2000 to 2010. The population of Doha is overwhelmingly composed of expatriates , with Qatari nationals forming a minority. The largest portion of expatriates in Qatar are from South-East and South Asian countries, mainly India , Pakistan , Sri Lanka , Nepal , Philippines , and Bangladesh with large numbers of expatriates also coming from
1440-484: Is home to most of the country's population. It is also Qatar's fastest growing city, with over 80% of the nation's population living in Doha or its surrounding suburbs , known collectively as the Doha Metropolitan Area . Doha was founded in the 1820s as an offshoot of Al Bidda . It was officially declared as the country's capital in 1971, when Qatar gained independence from being a British protectorate . As
1536-483: Is known as Joint Intelligence Center, Central Command, or JICCENT, which serves as a Joint Intelligence Center for the co-ordination of intelligence . Under the intelligence directorate, there are several divisions including the Afghanistan-Pakistan Center of Excellence . CENTCOM directs five "service component commands" and one subordinate unified command : * USCG Command that augments NAVCENT in
1632-717: Is located at MacDill Air Force Base , in Tampa, Florida . A forward headquarters was established in 2002 at Camp As Sayliyah in Doha, Qatar , which in 2009 transitioned to a forward headquarters at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar . In January 2021, Israel became the 21st country of the AOR, added to another 20 nations including Afghanistan , Bahrain , Egypt , Iran , Iraq , Jordan , Kazakhstan , Kuwait , Kyrgyzstan , Lebanon , Oman , Pakistan , Qatar , Saudi Arabia , Syria , Tajikistan , Turkmenistan ,
1728-442: Is now also found on the promontory in coastal and saline places. Common vegetation found in Doha include creeping sorrel ( Oxalis corniculata ) as a turf weed , winter cherry ( Physalis angulata ) as a weed, rye grass ( Lolium rigidum ) in cultivated areas, qurdi ( Ochradenus baccatus ) near roadsides, indigofera ( Indigofera oblongifolia ) near the central market area, curved hard grass ( Parapholis incurva ) near
1824-661: Is one of the eleven unified combatant commands of the U.S. Department of Defense . It was established in 1983, taking over the previous responsibilities of the Rapid Deployment Joint Task Force (RDJTF). Its Area of Responsibility (AOR) includes the Middle East (including Egypt in Africa ), Central Asia and parts of South Asia . The command has been the main American presence in many military operations, including
1920-534: Is situated two miles inland and has fresh water with it. This could contain two hundred men. There are remaining at Ul Budee about 250 men, but the original inhabitants, who may be expected to return from Bahrein, will augment them to 900 or 1,000 men, and if the Doasir tribe, who frequent the place as divers, again settle in it, from 600 to 800 men. The same year, an agreement known as the General Maritime Treaty
2016-512: Is tasked to pursue the most sensitive high-value targets such as Al Qaeda and the Taliban leadership since 11 September 2001. Rather, TF 77, which started out as Task Force 11 and has gone through a number of name/number changes, reports directly to Joint Special Operations Command , part of USSOCOM. As of 2015 , CENTCOM forces are deployed primarily in Iraq and Afghanistan in combat roles and have support roles at bases in Kuwait , Bahrain , Qatar ,
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#17328526003002112-449: Is usually the lowest in May and June. Dewpoints can surpass 30 °C (86 °F) in the summer. Throughout the summer, the city averages almost no precipitation, and less than 20 mm (0.79 in) during other months. Rainfall is scarce, at a total of 75 mm (2.95 in) per year, falling on isolated days mostly between October and March. The winter's days are relativity warm while
2208-748: The Aspire Dome . The city was host to the first ministerial-level meeting of the Doha Development Round of World Trade Organization negotiations. It was also selected as host city of several sporting events, including the 2006 Asian Games , the 2011 Pan Arab Games , the 2019 World Beach Games , the FINA World Aquatics Championships , the FIVB Volleyball Club World Championship , the WTA Finals and most of
2304-510: The Battle of Al Wajbah in March 1893. Al Bidda Fort served as the final point of retreat for Ottoman troops. While they were garrisoned in the fort, their corvette fired indiscriminately at the townspeople, killing many civilians. The Ottomans eventually surrendered after Jassim Al Thani's troops cut off the town's water supply. An Ottoman report compiled the same year reported that Al Bidda and Doha had
2400-457: The Horn of Africa to combat terrorism, establish a secure environment, and foster regional stability. These operations involved a series of Special Operations Forces raids, humanitarian assistance, consequence management, and a variety of civic action programs. The command has also remained poised to provide disaster relief throughout the region; its most recent significant relief operations have been
2496-661: The International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) directed most U.S. forces in Afghanistan. A U.S. general ( Dan K. McNeill ) assumed command of ISAF that same month. Temporary task forces include the Central Command Forward ;– Jordan (CF-J), which was announced in April 2013. CF-J's stated purpose was to work with the Jordanian armed forces to improve the latter's capabilities. There
2592-584: The Levant Arab countries, Djibouti, Somalia , North Africa, and East Asia . Doha is also home to many expatriates from Europe , North America , South Africa and Australia . Arabic is the official language of Qatar. English is commonly used as a second language, and a rising lingua franca , especially in commerce. As there is a large expatriate population in Doha, languages such as Malayalam , Tamil , Bengali , Tagalog , Spanish , Sinhala , French , Urdu and Hindi are widely spoken. In 2004,
2688-706: The Ottomans established a presence in the country with 100 of their troops occupying the Musallam fort in Doha. This was accepted by Mohammad bin Thani's son, Jassim Al Thani , who wished to protect Doha from Saudi incursions. The Ottoman commander, Major Ömer Bey, compiled a report on Al Bidda in January 1872, stating that it was an "administrative centre" with around 1,000 houses and 4,000 inhabitants. Disagreement over tribute and interference in internal affairs arose, eventually leading to
2784-648: The Persian Gulf War 's Operation Desert Storm in 1991, the War in Afghanistan , as well as the Iraq War from 2003 to 2011. As of 2015 , CENTCOM forces were deployed primarily in Afghanistan under the auspices of Operation Freedom's Sentinel , which was itself part of NATO's Resolute Support Mission (from 2015 to 2021), and in Iraq and Syria as part of Operation Inherent Resolve since 2014 in supporting and advise-and-assist roles. As of 1 April 2022 , CENTCOM's commander
2880-685: The United Arab Emirates , Oman , and central Asia . CENTCOM forces have also been deployed in Jordan and Saudi Arabia. The following war plan numbers have been made public: Others listed by Arkin's supplements include CENTCOM CONPLAN 1211-07 "Foreign Humanitarian Assistance / Disaster Response Operations." It was issued in November 2007, and required using the Request for Forces method via then- U.S. Joint Forces Command to supply any required forces. With
2976-558: The United Arab Emirates , Uzbekistan and Yemen . The command was established on 1 January 1983. As its name implies, CENTCOM covers the "central" area of the globe located between the African, European and Indo-Pacific Commands. When the hostage crisis in Iran and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan underlined the need to strengthen U.S. interests in the region, President Jimmy Carter established
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3072-639: The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in 2012. Doha has been named as the second safest city in the world in the Numbeo Crime Index by City 2021. The index tracks safety in 431 cities. According to the Ministry of Municipality and Environment of Qatar , the name "Doha" originated from the Arabic term dohat , meaning "roundness"—a reference to the rounded bays surrounding
3168-708: The Zagros Mountains from a Soviet attack and was held annually. In autumn 1989, the main CENTCOM contingency plan, OPLAN 1002-88, assumed a Soviet attack through Iran to the Persian Gulf. The plan called for five-and-two-thirds US divisions to deploy, mostly light and heavy forces at something less than full strength (apportioned to it by the Joint Strategic Capability Plan [JSCAP]). The original plan called for these five-and-two-thirds divisions to march from
3264-702: The " Tanker War ", the Federal government of the United States reflagged and renamed 11 Kuwaiti oil tankers. In Operation Earnest Will , these tankers were escorted by USCENTCOM's Middle East Force through the Persian Gulf to Kuwait and back through the Strait of Hormuz . By late 1988, the regional strategy still largely focused on the potential threat of a massive Soviet invasion of Iran. Exercise Internal Look has been one of CENTCOM's primary planning events. It had frequently been used to train CENTCOM to be ready to defend
3360-627: The 150,000 Christian population in Doha. Following decrees by the Emir for the allocation of land to churches , the first Catholic church, Our Lady of the Rosary , was opened in Doha in March 2008. The church structure is discreet and Christian symbols are not displayed on the outside of the building. Several other churches exist in Doha, including the St.Isaac and St. George Greek Orthodox Church of Qatar, Doha, Qatar St.Isaac and St. George Greek Orthodox Church of Qatar
3456-526: The 1820s. In January 1823, political resident John MacLeod visited Al Bidda to meet with the ruler and initial founder of Doha, Buhur bin Jubrun, who was also the chief of the Al-Buainain tribe. MacLeod noted that Al Bidda was the only substantial trading port in the peninsula during this time. Following the founding of Doha, written records often conflated Al Bidda and Doha due to the extremely close proximity of
3552-471: The 1970s to over 434,000 in 1997. Additionally, land policies resulted in the total land area increasing to over 7,100 hectares (about 17,000 acres) by 1995, an increase from 130 hectares in the middle of the 20th century. In 1983, a hotel and conference center was developed at the north end of the Corniche . The 15-story Sheraton hotel structure in this center would serve as the tallest structure in Doha until
3648-468: The 1983 establishment of CENTCOM Egypt, Sudan, Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia, and Djibouti came within the area of responsibility (AOR). Thus CENTCOM directed the 'Natural Bond' exercises with Sudan, the 'Eastern Wind' exercises with Somalia, and the 'Jade Tiger' exercises with Oman, Somalia, and Sudan. Exercise Jade Tiger involved the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit with Oman from 29 November 1982 to 8 December 1982. On 7 February 2007, plans were announced for
3744-649: The 1990s. In 1993, the Qatar Open became the first major sports event to be hosted in the city. Two years later, Qatar stepped in to host the FIFA World Youth Championship , with all the matches being played in Doha-based stadiums. The Al Jazeera Arabic news channel began broadcasting from Doha in 1996. In the late 1990s, the government planned the construction of Education City , a 2,500 hectare Doha-based complex mainly for educational institutes. Since
3840-488: The 2003 United States invasion of Iraq , which began on 19 March 2003. Following the defeat of both the Taliban regime in Afghanistan (9 November 2001) and Saddam Hussein's government in Iraq (8 April 2003), CENTCOM has continued to provide security to the new freely-elected governments in those countries, conducting counterinsurgency operations and assisting host nation security forces to provide for their own defense. Beginning in October 2002, CENTCOM conducted operations in
3936-619: The Al Khalifa, however, shortly after the swearing-in of a new ruler in Bahrain, bin Tarif grew increasingly suspicious of the ruling Al Khalifa and switched his allegiance to the deposed ruler of Bahrain, Abdullah bin Khalifa , whom he had previously assisted in deposing of. Bin Tarif died in the Battle of Fuwayrit against the ruling family of Bahrain in 1847. The Al Thani family migrated to Doha from Fuwayrit shortly after Bin Tarif's death in 1847 under
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4032-438: The British demanded a fine of 300 German krones in compensation for the damages incurred by pirates off the coast of Al Bidda; namely for the piracies committed by bin Jabir. In February 1841, British naval squadrons arrived in Al Bidda and ordered Al-Suwaidi to meet the British demand, threatening consequences if he declined. Al-Suwaidi ultimately declined on the basis that he was uninvolved in bin Jabir's actions. On 26 February,
4128-512: The British fired on Al Bidda, striking a fort and several houses. Al-Suwaidi then paid the fine in full following threats of further action by the British. Isa bin Tarif , a powerful tribal chief from the Al Bin Ali tribe, moved to Doha in May 1843. He subsequently evicted the ruling Sudan tribe and installed the Al-Maadeed and Al-Kuwari tribes in positions of power. Bin Tarif had been loyal to
4224-410: The British political agent, Colonel Lewis Pelly , to impose a settlement in 1868. Pelly's mission to Bahrain and Qatar and the peace treaty that resulted were milestones in Qatar's history. It implicitly recognized Qatar as a distinct entity independent from Bahrain and explicitly acknowledged the position of Mohammed bin Thani as an important representative of the peninsula's tribes. In December 1871,
4320-491: The CENTCOM Area of Responsibility . On 15 January 2021, responsibility for Israel was transferred from Europe Command to CENTCOM. In January 2015, CENTCOM's Twitter feed was reported to have been hacked on 11 January by ISIS sympathizers. This situation lasted for less than one hour; no classified information was posted and "none of the information posted came from CENTCOM's server or social media sites"; however, some of
4416-521: The CENTCOM AOR *Assigned to Air Combat Command as the 432nd Wing, but acts as 432nd Air Expeditionary Wing when operating in the CENTCOM AOR Two major subordinate multi-service commands reporting to Central Command were responsible for Afghanistan: Combined Joint Task Force 180 and Combined Forces Command Afghanistan (CFC-A). CFC-A was disestablished in February 2007. From that point onward,
4512-513: The Emir, Phillip L. Plant, initiated several municipal projects. Starting with remodeling the old complex of the Old Amiri Palace , Plant then initiated the construction of a seaside road about a half-mile in length which opened up and made accessible the half dozen jetties along Doha's most built-up section. The first formal boys' school was established in Doha in 1952, followed three years later by
4608-723: The Foreign Ownership of Real Estate Law was passed, permitting non-Qatari citizens to buy land in designated areas of Doha, including the West Bay Lagoon , the Qatar Pearl , and the new Lusail City . Prior to this, expatriates were prohibited from owning land in Qatar. Ownership by foreigners in Qatar entitles them to a renewable residency permit, which allows them to live and work in Qatar. The majority of residents in Doha are Muslim . A majority of mosques are either Salafi or Sunni -oriented. Catholics account for over 90% of
4704-682: The Iranian government designated the United States Central Command a terrorist organization after the Trump administration branded Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps with the same label. CENTCOM's main headquarters is located at MacDill Air Force Base , in Tampa, Florida . CENTCOM headquarters staff directorates include personnel, intelligence, operations, logistics, plans & policy, information systems, training & exercises, and resources, and other functions. The intelligence section
4800-470: The Kurds and enforce a "no-fly" zone in Iraq , north of the 36th parallel, began in April 1991. In August 1992, Operation Southern Watch began in response to Saddam's noncompliance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 688 condemning his brutal repression of Iraqi civilians in southeastern Iraq. Under the command and control of Joint Task Force Southwest Asia, coalition forces in this operation enforced
4896-571: The Persian Gulf to the Zagros Mountains and prevent the Soviet Ground Forces (army) from seizing the Iranian oil fields . After 1990, General Norman Schwarzkopf reoriented CENTCOM's planning to fend off a threat from Iraq, and Internal Look moved to a biennial schedule. There was a notable similarity between the 1990 Internal Look exercise scripts and the real-world movement of Iraqi forces which culminated in Iraq's invasion of Kuwait during
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#17328526003004992-471: The Rapid Deployment Joint Task Force (RDJTF) in March 1980. Steps were taken to transform the RDJTF into a permanent unified command over a two-year period. The first step was to make the RDJTF independent of U.S. Readiness Command , followed by the activation of CENTCOM in January 1983. Overcoming skeptical perceptions that the command was still an RDJTF in all but name, designed to support a Cold War strategy, took time. The Iran–Iraq War clearly underlined
5088-413: The Trade Facilitation Agreement are expected to be distributed among all countries and regions, with developing landlocked countries benefiting the most. The Trade Facilitation Agreement will enter into force upon its ratification by 2/3 of WTO Members. The EU ratified the agreement in October 2015. In Bali, WTO members also agreed on a series of Doha agriculture and development issues. Now modernizing
5184-406: The Turkish military garrison of 350 men, to about 12,000 souls". He qualified this statement with a tabulated overview of the various tribes and ethnic groups living in the town. In April 1913, the Ottomans agreed to a British request that they withdraw all their troops from Qatar. Ottoman presence in the peninsula ceased, when in August 1915, the Ottoman fort in Al Bidda was evacuated shortly after
5280-590: The USS Cole , resulting in the deaths of 17 U.S. sailors, was linked to Osama bin Laden 's Al Qaida organization. From April to July 1999, CENTCOM conducted Exercise Desert Crossing 1999 , centered on the scenario of Saddam Hussein being ousted as Iraq's dictator. It was held in the offices of Booz Allen Hamilton in McLean, Virginia . The exercise concluded that unless measures were taken, "fragmentation and chaos" would ensue after Saddam Hussein's overthrow. The September 11 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington DC led President George W. Bush to declare
5376-432: The area's coastline. The city of Doha was formed seceding from another local settlement known as Al Bidda . The earliest documented mention of Al Bidda was made in 1681 by the Carmelite Convent, in an account that chronicles several settlements in Qatar. In the record, the ruler and a fort in the confines of Al Bidda are alluded to. Carsten Niebuhr , a German explorer who visited the Arabian Peninsula , created one of
5472-407: The bay are quite low but the land on the western side is stony desert 40 or 50 feet above the level of the sea. The town is built up the slope of some rising ground between these two extremes and consists of 9 Fanqs or quarters, which are given below in their order from the east to the west and north: the total frontage of the place upon the sea is nearly 2 miles. Lorimer goes on to list and describe
5568-415: The central area of Al Najada, which also accommodates the highest total population in the country. The population density across the greater Doha region ranges from 20,000 people per km to 25-50 people per km . Doha witnessed explosive growth rates in population in the first decade of the 21st century, absorbing the majority of the thousands of people then immigrating to Qatar every month. Doha's population
5664-445: The city while preserving traditions is part of the country's long-term plan, Qatar National Vision 2030 . Doha is located on the central-east portion of Qatar, bordered by the Persian Gulf on its coast. Its elevation is 10 m (33 ft). Doha is highly urbanized. Land reclamation off the coast has added 400 hectares of land and 30 km of coastline. Half of the 22 km of surface area which Hamad International Airport
5760-408: The coast, cat's tail ( Typha domingensis ) near moist areas, oat brome ( Bromus danthoniae ) near the Al Sadd area, and ndeewa ( Cressa cretica ). Flowers of the sacred datura ( Datura innoxia ), crown daisy ( Glebionis coronaria ), wild chamomile ( Matricaria chamomilla ), and glandular speedwell ( Veronica cymbalaria ) have also been observed in rare instances, the latter as
5856-413: The command launched Operation Desert Focus, designed to relocate U.S. installations to more defensible locations (such as Prince Sultan Air Base ), reduce the U.S. forward "footprint" by eliminating nonessential billets, and return dependents to the United States. In 1998 terrorists attacked the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania , killing 250 persons, including 12 Americans. The October 2000 attack on
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#17328526003005952-544: The commercial capital of Qatar and one of the emergent financial centers in the Middle East , Doha is considered a beta-level global city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network . Metropolitan Doha includes parts of Al Rayyan such as Education City , an area devoted to research and education, and Hamad Medical City , an administrative area of medical care. It also includes Doha Sports City, or Aspire Zone , an international sports destination that includes Khalifa International Stadium , Hamad Aquatic Centre ; and
6048-416: The country's pearl harvest at half its value. The aftermath of the collapse resulted in the establishment of the country's first custom house in Doha. British administrator and historian J. G. Lorimer authored an extensive handbook for British agents in the Persian Gulf entitled Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf in 1908. In it, he gives a comprehensive account of Doha at the time: Generally so styled at
6144-417: The countryside, the situation in Mogadishu worsened, and the significant casualties of the Battle of Mogadishu ultimately led President Bill Clinton to order the withdrawal of all U.S. troops from Somalia. Throughout the 1990s, following the Gulf War, terrorist attacks had a major impact on CENTCOM forces. Faced with attacks such as the 1996 bombing of the Khobar Towers , which killed 19 American airmen,
6240-426: The creation of a United States Africa Command which transferred responsibility for U.S. military operations across Africa to the new USAFRICOM, except for Egypt. On 1 October 2008, the Africa Command became operational and Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa , the primary CENTCOM force on the continent, started reporting to AFRICOM at Stuttgart instead of CENTCOM in Tampa. The Department of Defense uses
6336-525: The devaluation of pearl trade in the Persian Gulf brought on by the introduction of the cultured pearl and the Great Depression . The collapse of the pearl trade caused a significant population drop throughout the entire country. It was not until the 1950s and 1960s that the country saw significant monetary returns from oil drilling. Qatar was not long in exploiting the new-found wealth from oil concessions, and slum areas were quickly razed to be replaced by more modern buildings. In 1950, British adviser to
6432-409: The development of a 250-hectare sporting complex known as Aspire Zone . During this time, new cultural attractions were constructed in the city, with older ones being restored. In 2006, the government launched a restoration program to preserve Souq Waqif 's architectural and historical identity. Parts constructed after the 1950s were demolished whereas older structures were refurbished. The restoration
6528-530: The districts of Doha, which at the time included the still-existing districts of Al Mirqab , As Salatah , Al Bidda and Rumeilah . Remarking on Doha's appearance, he states: The general appearance of Dohah is unattractive; the lanes are narrow and irregular the houses dingy and small. There are no date palms or other trees, and the only garden is a small one near the fort, kept up by the Turkish garrison. As for Doha's population, Lorimer asserts that "the inhabitants of Dohah are estimated to amount, inclusive of
6624-521: The establishment of a girls' school. Historically, Doha had been a commercial port of local significance. However, the shallow water of the bay prevented bigger ships from entering the port until the 1970s, when its deep-water port was completed. Further changes followed with extensive land reclamation, which led to the development of the crescent-shaped bay. From the 1950s to 1970s, the population of Doha grew from around 14,000 inhabitants to over 83,000, with foreign immigrants constituting about two-thirds of
6720-476: The final days of the exercise. U.S. President George Bush responded quickly. A timely deployment of forces and the formation of a coalition deterred Iraq from invading Saudi Arabia , and the command began to focus on the liberation of Kuwait. The buildup of forces continued, reinforced by United Nations Security Council Resolution 678 , which called for Iraqi forces to leave Kuwait. On 17 January 1991, U.S. and coalition forces launched Operation Desert Storm with
6816-426: The first half of the 20th century due to the flourishing pearl trade. A British political resident noted that should the supply of pearls drop, Qatar would 'practically cease to exist'. In 1907, the city accommodated 350 pearling boats with a combined crew size of 6,300 men. By this time, the average prices of pearls had more than doubled since 1877. The pearl market collapsed that year, forcing Jassim Al Thani to sell
6912-552: The first maps to depict the settlement in 1765, in which he labelled it as 'Guttur'. David Seaton, a British political resident in Muscat , wrote the first English record of Al Bidda in 1801. He refers to the town as 'Bedih' and describes the geography and defensive structures in the area. He stated that the town had recently been settled by the Sudan tribe (singular Al-Suwaidi), whom he considered to be pirates . Seaton attempted to bombard
7008-477: The former U.S. Central Command Commanders would later serve as United States Secretary of Defense : General James Mattis and General Lloyd Austin . Mattis served as the 26th U.S. Secretary of Defense. Austin became the 28th U.S. Secretary of Defense on January 22, 2021; he is the current incumbent. The unit awards depicted below are for Headquarters, U.S. Central Command at MacDill AFB. Award for unit decorations do not apply to any subordinate organization such as
7104-482: The games at the 2011 AFC Asian Cup . In December 2011, the World Petroleum Council held the 20th World Petroleum Conference in Doha. Additionally, the city hosted the 2012 UNFCCC Climate Negotiations and the 2022 FIFA World Cup . The city will host the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup . The city also hosted the 140th Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly in April 2019 and hosted the 18th yearly session of
7200-568: The growing tensions in the region, and developments such as Iranian mining operations in the Persian Gulf led to CENTCOM's first combat operations. On 17 May 1987, the USS ; Stark (FFG-31) , conducting operations in the Persian Gulf during the Iran-Iraq War, was struck by Exocet missiles fired by an Iraqi aircraft , resulting in 37 casualties. Soon afterward, as part of what became known as
7296-533: The growing threat of regional terrorism. To prevent widespread starvation as the Somali Civil War continued, CENTCOM began Operation Provide Relief in 1992 to supply humanitarian assistance to Somalia and northeastern Kenya . CENTCOM's Operation Restore Hope supported United Nations Security Council Resolution 794 and a multinational Unified Task Force, which provided security until the U.N. created UNOSOM II in May 1993. In spite of some UNOSOM II success in
7392-528: The leadership of Mohammed bin Thani . In the proceeding years, the Al Thani family assumed control of the town. At various times, they swapped allegiances between the two prevailing powers in the area: the Al Khalifa of Bahrain and the Bin Saud is. In 1867, many ships and troops were sent from Bahrain to assault the towns Al Wakrah and Doha over a series of disputes. Abu Dhabi joined on Bahrain's behalf due to
7488-497: The link to point directly to the intended article. [REDACTED] Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Central_Command&oldid=932752118 " Category : Military units and formations disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages United States Central Command The United States Central Command ( USCENTCOM or CENTCOM )
7584-617: The overall population. Qatar officially declared its independence in 1971, with Doha as its capital city . In 1973, the University of Qatar was opened by emiri decree, and in 1975, the Qatar National Museum opened in what was originally the ruler's palace. During the 1970s, all old neighborhoods in Doha were razed and the inhabitants moved to new suburban developments, such as Al Rayyan , Madinat Khalifa and Al Gharafa . The Doha Metropolitan Area 's population grew from 89,000 in
7680-560: The perception that Al Wakrah served as a refuge for fugitives from Oman . Later that year, the combined forces sacked the two Qatari towns with around 2,700 men in what would come to be known as the Qatari–Bahraini War . A British record later stated that "the towns of Doha and Wakrah were, at the end of 1867 temporarily blotted out of existence, the houses being dismantled and the inhabitants deported". The joint Bahraini-Abu Dhabi incursion and subsequent Qatari counterattack prompted
7776-403: The present day, but Bedouins sometimes call it Dohat-al-Qatar, and it seems to have been formerly better known as Bida' ( Anglice "Bidder"): it is the chief town of Qatar and is situated on the eastern side of that peninsula, about 63 miles south of its extremity at Ras Rakan and 45 miles north of Khor-al Odaid Harbour. Dohah stands on the south side of a deep bay at the south-western corner of
7872-559: The senior leadership of CENTCOM, concluding that "allegations of intelligence being intentionally altered, delayed or suppressed by top CENTCOM officials from mid-2014 to mid-2015 were largely unsubstantiated." In January 2018, Turkey urged the United States to remove its troops from Syrian city of Manbij , saying that otherwise they might come under attack from Turkish troops; however, former CENTCOM commander Joseph Votel confirmed an American commitment to keeping troops in Manbij. In 2019,
7968-402: The service component commands or any other activities unless the orders specifically address them. Doha, Qatar Doha ( Arabic : الدوحة , romanized : ad-Dawḥah [ædˈdæwħæ,-ˈdoː-] ) is the capital city and main financial hub of Qatar . Located on the Persian Gulf coast in the east of the country, north of Al Wakrah and south of Al Khor and Lusail , it
8064-752: The slides came from the federally funded Lincoln Laboratory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology . In August 2015, intelligence analysts working for CENTCOM complained to the media, alleging that CENTCOM's senior leadership was altering or distorting intelligence reports on the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. In February 2017, the Inspector General of the United States Department of Defense completed its investigation and cleared
8160-427: The start of World War I. One year later, Qatar agreed to be a British protectorate with Doha as its official capital. Buildings at the time were simple dwellings of one or two rooms, built from mud, stone, and coral. Oil concessions in the 1920s and 1930s, and subsequent oil drilling in 1939, heralded the beginning of slow economic and social progress in the country. However, revenues were somewhat diminished due to
8256-468: The start of the 21st century, Doha attained significant media attention due to the hosting of several global events and the inauguration of several architectural mega-projects. One of the largest projects launched by the government was The Pearl-Qatar , an artificial island off the coast of West Bay , which launched its first district in 2004. In 2006, Doha was selected to host the Asian Games , leading to
8352-400: The sun is up and cool during the night. The temperature rarely drops below 7 °C (45 °F). The highest temperature recorded was 50.4 °C (122.7 °F) on 14 July 2010, which is the highest temperature to have ever been recorded in Qatar. A significant portion of Qatar's population lives within Doha and its metropolitan area . The district with the highest population density is
8448-521: The town with his warship , but returned to Muscat upon finding that the waters were too shallow to position his warship within striking distance. In 1820, British surveyor R. H. Colebrook, who visited Al Bidda, remarked on the recent depopulation of the town. He wrote: Guttur – Or Ul Budee [Al‐Bidda], once a considerable town, is protected by two square Ghurries [forts] near the seashore; but containing no freshwater they are incapable of defense except against sudden incursions of Bedouins, another Ghurry
8544-480: The two settlements. Later that year, Lt. Guy and Lt. Brucks mapped and wrote a description of the two settlements. Despite being mapped as two separate entities, they were referred to under the collective name of Al Bidda in the written description. In 1828, Mohammed bin Khamis, a prominent member of the Al-Buainain tribe and successor of Buhur bin Jubrun as chief of Al Bidda, was embroiled in controversy. He had murdered
8640-458: Was a major subordinate multi-service command during the Iraq War order of battle until it was disestablished in 2011. Elements of other Unified Combatant Commands , especially United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), operate in the CENTCOM area. It appears that SOCCENT does not direct the secretive Task Force 88 , the ad-hoc grouping of Joint Special Operations Command 'black' units such as Delta Force and Army Rangers , which
8736-787: Was completed in 2008. Katara Cultural Village was opened in the city in 2010 and has hosted the Doha Tribeca Film Festival since then. The main outcome of the World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference of 2013 was the Trade Facilitation Agreement. The agreement aims to make it easier and cheaper to import and export by improving customs procedures and making rules more transparent. Reducing global trade costs by 1% would increase worldwide income by more than US$ 40 billion, 65% of which would go to developing countries. The gains from
8832-554: Was constructed on was reclaimed land. The geology of Doha is primarily composed of weathered unconformity on the top of the Eocene period Dammam Formation, forming dolomitic limestone . Street cats , having first been introduced in the 1960s to deal with the country's rodent infestations, are now widespread in Doha, with government estimates putting the total population at between 2 million and 3 million. The Gulf sand gecko , having been first observed in Qatar on Doha's islands in 2013,
8928-473: Was not asked to fly the prescribed Trucial flag. As punishment for alleged piracy committed by the inhabitants of Al Bidda and breach of the treaty, an East India Company vessel bombarded the town in 1821. They razed the town, forcing between 300 and 400 natives to flee and temporarily take shelter on the islands between Qatar and the Trucial Coast. Doha was founded in the vicinity of Al Bidda sometime during
9024-532: Was signed between the East India Company and the sheikhs of several Persian Gulf settlements (some of which were later known as the Trucial Coast ). It acknowledged British authority in the Persian Gulf and sought to end piracy and the slave trade. Bahrain became a party to the treaty, and it was assumed that Qatar, perceived as a dependency of Bahrain by the British, was also a party to it. Qatar, however,
9120-544: Was speculation, however, that another reason for its establishment was to serve as a base from which raids into Syria could be launched to seize Syrian WMD if necessary, and as a launch pad for looming American military action in Syria. On 1 October 2008 Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa at Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti was transferred to United States Africa Command (USAFRICOM). The United States Forces – Iraq or USF-I,
9216-430: Was stopped since 2005 and since then attempts have been made to eliminate traces of the tree, to varying degrees of success. The Pearl is an artificial island in Doha with a surface area of nearly 400 ha (1,000 acres) The total project has been estimated to cost $ 15 billion upon completion. Other islands off Doha's coast include Palm Tree Island, Shrao's Island, Al Safliya Island , and Al Aaliya Island . In
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