Exercise Eagle Resolve

Mohammed Zainal (left), a member of the Qatari media, interviews Joseph E. LaBron, United States Ambassador to the State of Qatar, April 28 at the National Defense and Crisis Management Center in Doha, Qatar. Ambassador LeBaron visited the center to meet with participants in exercise Eagle Resolve 2009.

DOHA, Qatar – The United States Ambassador to the State of Qatar visited the National Defense and Crisis Management Center here Thursday.

Ambassador Joseph E. LeBaron made the trip to meet with participants in exercise Eagle Resolve 2009.

As part of the trip, the ambassador received a briefing on the annual, multi-national exercise.

“I’m encouraged by the information I received during the Eagle Resolve briefing,” said LeBaron. “The United States and the State of Qatar have a great partnership. The military relationship plays a vital role in the overall relationship.”

Eagle Resolve is designed to enhance regional cooperative defense efforts of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries and the United States.

The ambassador supports that effort and appreciates what the United State military has accomplished.

“I will do anything I can to support Eagle Resolve because building that military relationship is the right thing to do,” said the Ambassador. “And it will be the right thing to do in the future. I appreciate everything the United States military is doing to work with the GCC nations.”

This marks the 10th year that the U.S., Qatar and members of the GCC nations have participated in the annual exercise, with this year’s event being the largest ever, including a command post exercise and a field training exercise.

However, the ambassador sees it expanding even more.

“I see the exercise growing in size and importance, and we are well on our way,” said LeBaron. “We have a great process in place, but we need to increase cooperation and find ways to help in training and equipping so that the GCC nations are ready for all possibilities.”

LeBaron joined the U.S. Foreign Service in 1980 after earning his doctorate in Near Eastern Studies at Princeton University. He was sworn in as Ambassador to the State of Qatar on July 18, 2008.