Senator Murphy says visit to Qatar base was blocked — The National
Democratic Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut said that the Pentagon did not allow him to visit Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar during a trip to the Middle East. The politician called it an attempt to hide the consequences of the war with Iran from Congress and the American public.
Statement on restricted access
As The National reports, Murphy also said that the U.S. Defense Department refused to arrange a briefing on the war for him while he was in the region. According to him, he had not encountered anything similar during his time in the Senate and considers it part of a deliberate withholding of information.
The Pentagon did not immediately provide comment in response to a request for comment. Al Udeid is the largest U.S. base in the region. According to the outlet, Iran repeatedly attacked it during the war that the United States and Israel launched in February.
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Visit to Gulf countries
During the trip, Murphy visited Riyadh, where, he said, he heard alarm signals because of missiles launched by Yemen's Houthis toward the city. The senator also said that he visited the U.S. Embassy in the Saudi capital, which was damaged in a drone attack at the beginning of the war.
Despite his criticism of the Pentagon, Murphy said that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio facilitated his visit, including by arranging meetings with diplomats. The senator met with Qatar's emir, Sheikh Tamim, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and other senior officials from Persian Gulf countries.
