Why am in Qatar? (Doha, Qatar)
Once again, writing from one of the most glamorous spots in the world - Doha, Qatar. I'm guessing you might not even know where it is, or have even heard of this country. I sure didn't know about it until the last couple of years - until I started hearing about it on TV and the Internet. Why am I here? I have trouble answering that myself when I think about it at times. It's not cheap to travel here, nor is it terribly "exciting" in the traditional vacation / exploring sense. But, those aren't the reasons I am here.
It's the home of Al-Jazeera TV - the one you always hear about with Osama bin Laden, and also home to a US Military base, a kind of important one - it is Central Command for the war in Iraq, headquarters, especially after getting out of Saudi Arabia. It is also home to some major gas (Not oil) reserves. Fits perfectly with my theme on seeing where things come from.
http://www.spacedaily.com/2002/021201085229.rhrwn7wx.html
http://www.rense.com/general29/wwqu.htm
http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/iraqwar/story/0,4395,182162,00.html
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Apr2000/n04052000_20004055.html
http://abcnews.go.com/sections/wnt/DailyNews/qatar_airbase020924.html (Sept 24, 2002)
I have had the fortune of meeting an American expatriate family working for a major US chemical company here -involved in building / operating a plastics plant. Plastic that you might end up using when you drink from your water bottle, and taking your groceries home in a plastic bag, surrounded by the plastic used to build your car or any number of uses. If I'm lucky, maybe I will get a tour of one of the plants - at the very least I will drive out to get as close as possible. They have shown me around town and tomorrow I will be spending the Easter holiday at their home along with some US soliders fresh back from Iraq and / or Afghanistan on R&R / leave / quasi-vacation. The family is part of an American program to welcome troops from the war zone and feel some sense of normalcy. Sounds like a very good program to me. I'll say just hanging out in their living room for a short time yesterday was very comforting. Of course hearing American voices....
It's the home of Al-Jazeera TV - the one you always hear about with Osama bin Laden, and also home to a US Military base, a kind of important one - it is Central Command for the war in Iraq, headquarters, especially after getting out of Saudi Arabia. It is also home to some major gas (Not oil) reserves. Fits perfectly with my theme on seeing where things come from.
http://www.spacedaily.com/2002/021201085229.rhrwn7wx.html
http://www.rense.com/general29/wwqu.htm
http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/iraqwar/story/0,4395,182162,00.html
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Apr2000/n04052000_20004055.html
http://abcnews.go.com/sections/wnt/DailyNews/qatar_airbase020924.html (Sept 24, 2002)
I have had the fortune of meeting an American expatriate family working for a major US chemical company here -involved in building / operating a plastics plant. Plastic that you might end up using when you drink from your water bottle, and taking your groceries home in a plastic bag, surrounded by the plastic used to build your car or any number of uses. If I'm lucky, maybe I will get a tour of one of the plants - at the very least I will drive out to get as close as possible. They have shown me around town and tomorrow I will be spending the Easter holiday at their home along with some US soliders fresh back from Iraq and / or Afghanistan on R&R / leave / quasi-vacation. The family is part of an American program to welcome troops from the war zone and feel some sense of normalcy. Sounds like a very good program to me. I'll say just hanging out in their living room for a short time yesterday was very comforting. Of course hearing American voices....
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