Senator Chris Murphy says Pentagon denied him access to Al Udeid base in Qatar
US Democratic Senator Chris Murphy says the Defense Department blocked his visit to Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar and refused him a war briefing, calling it an effort to hide the costs of the Iran war. The Pentagon had not responded when first reported.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2US Democratic Senator Chris Murphy said the US Department of Defense denied him access to Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar during a visit to the Middle East. The Straits TimesRC “US Democratic Senator Chris Murphy said the US Department of Defense denied him access to a key US military base in Qatar during a visit to the Middle East” Read at The Straits Times ↗ The Times of IndiaN “after the Department of Defense allegedly denied him access to Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar” Read at The Times of India ↗ Right · 1Murphy told a small group of journalists in Riyadh, the second stop on his trip, that the visit confirmed to him an "active, unprecedented, unconstitutional effort" to hide the costs and implications of the war from Congress and the American public. The Straits TimesRC “"This trip confirmed for me that there is an active, unprecedented, unconstitutional effort underway to hide the costs of this war and the implications of this war from Congress and the American people,"” Read at The Straits Times ↗ Mixed · 2He also said the Pentagon refused to set up a briefing for him on the war while he was in the region. The Straits TimesRC “He also said that the Pentagon refused to set up a briefing for him on the war while he was in the region.” Read at The Straits Times ↗ The Times of IndiaN “He also claimed that the Pentagon refused to arrange a briefing for him on the war while he was in the region.” Read at The Times of India ↗
Right · 1Murphy said he had never encountered anything like it in his time in the Senate, called it a "deliberate campaign of obfuscation" and said Republican colleagues in Congress should demand an end to it. The Straits TimesRC “"I've never encountered anything like this in my time in the Senate and it's part of a deliberate campaign of obfuscation that my Republican colleagues in Congress should demand an end to,"” Read at The Straits Times ↗ Mixed · 2He made clear that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had facilitated the visit, including by arranging meetings with diplomats, a stance he contrasted with that of the Pentagon, which is led by Pete Hegseth. The Straits TimesRC “Murphy made clear, however, that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had facilitated his visit, including arranging meetings with diplomats” Read at The Straits Times ↗ The Times of IndiaN “a stance he contrasted with that of the Pentagon, led by Pete Hegseth” Read at The Times of India ↗ Right · 1During the trip Murphy met Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, as well as other senior Gulf officials. The Straits TimesRC “Murphy met with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani and with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as well as other senior Gulf officials.” Read at The Straits Times ↗
Mixed · 2Al Udeid is the largest US base in the region and has repeatedly been attacked by Iran during the war launched by the US and Israel in February. The Times of IndiaN “Al Udeid Air Base has repeatedly come under attack from Iran during the war launched by the US and Israel in February.” Read at The Times of India ↗ The Straits TimesRC “The Al Udeid Air Base is the largest US base in the region and has repeatedly been attacked by Iran during the war launched by the US and Israel in February.” Read at The Straits Times ↗ Right · 1The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment, so its account of why access was refused is not yet reported. The Straits TimesRC “The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.” Read at The Straits Times ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- Leads with Murphy's allegation, using the quoted 'Efforts to hide Iran war costs' in the headline and wording the denial as alleged; adds that the Pentagon is led by Pete Hegseth.
- Emphasis
- Murphy's accusation of concealment and the contrast between Rubio and the Pentagon.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not say the Pentagon had not responded to a request for comment.
- Charged language
- “unprecedented and unconstitutional”
- For example
-
“US Democratic Senator Chris Murphy alleged that an "unprecedented and unconstitutional" effort is underway to conceal the impact of the Iran war” — The Times of India
“a stance he contrasted with that of the Pentagon, led by Pete Hegseth” — The Times of India
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- Reuters copy carried by the Straits Times; reports Murphy's statement in a straightforward way and notes the Pentagon's lack of immediate response.
- Emphasis
- Murphy's quotes, the Pentagon's non-response and his meetings with Gulf leaders.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not name Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
- Charged language
- “deliberate campaign of obfuscation”
- For example
-
“The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.” — The Straits Times
“During his trip, Murphy met with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani and with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as well as other senior Gulf officials.” — The Straits Times
What every side reports
- Murphy says the Pentagon denied him access to Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar and refused a war briefing.
- Murphy said Secretary of State Marco Rubio facilitated his visit.
- Murphy met Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
- Al Udeid has repeatedly been attacked by Iran in the war launched by the US and Israel in February.
Chris Murphy person
Says the Pentagon blocked his Al Udeid visit and a war briefing as part of a deliberate effort to hide the war's costs from Congress and the public, while crediting Rubio with facilitating the trip.
“Murphy made clear, however, that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had facilitated his visit” — The Straits Times
“it's part of a deliberate campaign of obfuscation” — The Straits Times
US Department of Defense organisation
Had not responded to a request for comment when first reported.
“The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.” — The Straits Times
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre1 article
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'Efforts to hide Iran war costs': US senator alleges denial of access to Al Udeid base in Qatar
Neutral Frames the story as Murphy's allegation, using 'alleged' and 'allegedly', and names Hegseth as Pentagon head; based on Reuters inputs.
Right1 article
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The Straits TimesRC · · via Reuters
US Senator Murphy says Pentagon denied him access to US base in Qatar
Neutral Reuters wire copy reporting Murphy's claims with the Pentagon's non-response noted.
- 6 Oct 14:24 First The Straits TimesRC US Senator Murphy says Pentagon denied him access to US base in Qatar via Reuters
- 6 Oct 14:37 +13m The Times of IndiaN 'Efforts to hide Iran war costs': US senator alleges denial of access to Al Udeid base in Qatar
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.