The Peter Zeihan Podcast Series Qatar Bribes Its Way into Idaho || Peter Zeihan
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Oct 28, 2025 Discover how Qatar is investing in a U.S. training facility, not creating a new base, and learn about the tiny nation's enormous natural gas wealth shaping its foreign policy. Dive into Qatar's controversial history of funding extremist groups and its strategic partnership with the U.S. during the war on terror. Explore the implications of Qatar using cash to influence U.S. politicians, highlighting the blurred lines between investment and bribery. This discussion uncovers the complex dynamics of power and influence in international relations.
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Qatar Funds Expansion, Not A Base
- Qatar is funding an expansion of an existing U.S. F-15 training facility in Idaho rather than building a sovereign base.
- The facility stays under U.S. control even though Qatar pays for the expansion.
Wealth Drives Qatar's Geopolitical Strategy
- Qatar's outsized natural gas wealth gives it leverage to pursue an independent foreign policy.
- The state uses financial power to influence other countries and actors across the Middle East.
Why CENTCOM Ended Up In Qatar
- The U.S. placed CENTCOM in Qatar due to limited alternatives during the Afghanistan/Iraq wars.
- Qatar accepted U.S. presence as a counterweight to regional rivals despite policy differences.