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August 21, 2001
   
Israel has asked the US to allow it to base a few fighters at a US Air Force base in the US. The Israelis say they do not have enough room to practice for realistic combat training, and have no area where they can practice long-range bombing strikes. The aircraft would arrive in 2002 (If the US approves) and would be based here permanently, with pilots rotated between Israeli bases and the US training facility. State Department officials are concerned that this might have political repercussions, but US Air Force types are excited at the possibility of talking shop with the Israelis (who have more actual combat time) and in regularly engaging in exercises with and against the Israelis.--Stephen V Cole