Some 3, 000 U.S. troops man the al-Udeid air base in Qatar, just across the gulf from Iraq.

CNN: Do We Still Need the Saudis?

General John Jumper, Air Force chief of staff, says the military is upgrading al-Udeid for use as a command-and-control center if the Saudis put CAOC off-limits.

CNN: Do We Still Need the Saudis?

They said the fire began while the plane was taxiing after landing about 9:10 p.m. at al-Udeid, the headquarters of U.S. military air operations for the Middle East.

CNN: B-1 bomber burns after landing in Qatar