Camp Doha
Encyclopedia
Camp Doha was the main US Army
base in Kuwait, and played a pivotal role in the US military presence in the Middle East since the 1991 Gulf War
and in the 2003 invasion of Iraq
. The complex is located on a small peninsula on Kuwait Bay, west of Kuwait City
. It was initially a large industrial warehouse complex and was taken in hand by the US Army for conversion to its current role in 1998 during Operation Desert Thunder
. It has been continuously manned since.
Camp Doha housed both Army Forces Central Command-Kuwait (ARCENT-Kuwait) and Coalition/Joint Task Force-Kuwait (Forward) (C/JTF-KU (Fwd)), making it effectively a nerve center not only for US operations in Iraq, but throughout the Middle East
. At its peak, over 2,000 military and civilian personnel were stationed there, with several thousand additional personnel in transit at any given point. In April, 2005 the Army announced the closure of the base, saying that the personnel from Camp Doha would be divided between Camp Buehring
and Camp Arifjan
. As of mid-2006, though the bulk of personnel and operations have shifted to other installations, the actual closure of Camp Doha has yet to occur.
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
base in Kuwait, and played a pivotal role in the US military presence in the Middle East since the 1991 Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
and in the 2003 invasion of Iraq
2003 invasion of Iraq
The 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...
. The complex is located on a small peninsula on Kuwait Bay, west of Kuwait City
Kuwait City
-Suburbs:Although the districts below are not usually recognized as suburbs, the following is a list of a few areas surrounding Kuwait city:Al-Salam ""السلام"" -Economy:...
. It was initially a large industrial warehouse complex and was taken in hand by the US Army for conversion to its current role in 1998 during Operation Desert Thunder
Operation Desert Thunder
Operation Desert Thunder was a response to threats by Iraq's president Saddam Hussein to shoot down U-2 spy planes, and violate the no-fly zone set up over his country. The operation was designed to bring stability to the region by bringing in a military presence during the negotiations between...
. It has been continuously manned since.
Camp Doha housed both Army Forces Central Command-Kuwait (ARCENT-Kuwait) and Coalition/Joint Task Force-Kuwait (Forward) (C/JTF-KU (Fwd)), making it effectively a nerve center not only for US operations in Iraq, but throughout the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
. At its peak, over 2,000 military and civilian personnel were stationed there, with several thousand additional personnel in transit at any given point. In April, 2005 the Army announced the closure of the base, saying that the personnel from Camp Doha would be divided between Camp Buehring
Camp Buehring
Camp Buehring is a staging post for US troops in the northwestern region of Kuwait. The base is used for military troops heading north into Iraq as well as the primary location for the Middle Eastern Theater Reserve...
and Camp Arifjan
Camp Arifjan
Camp Arifjan is an Army installation located in the State of Kuwait which accommodates elements of the US Air Force, US Navy, US Marine Corps and US Coast Guard. The camp was funded and built by the government of Kuwait. Military personnel from the United Kingdom, Australia, Romania and Poland are...
. As of mid-2006, though the bulk of personnel and operations have shifted to other installations, the actual closure of Camp Doha has yet to occur.