Iraqi base hit by Iranian missiles is so modern US soldiers nicknamed it Camp Cupcake – The Sun

A MILITARY base targeted by Iranian missiles was so modern it had cinemas, swimming pools and fast food restaurants.

Al Asad air base, nicknamed Camp Cupcake by troops, was one of two US military sites in Iraq targeted by Iran last night as it sought revenge for the killing of its top general Qasem Soleimani.


The base is a coalition army base shared by Iraqi, American and some British armed forces.

But it's a lot more than your usual army HQ with president Trump admitting it took billions of dollars to build.

As well as hosting thousands of soldiers and military weapons it also contains cinemas, swimming pools, internal bus routes and even fast food restaurants.

It so state-of-the-art soldiers call it Camp Cupcake, the BBC reports.

The base was one of the largest military bases during the Iraq war.

Built in the 1980s it was taken over by american soldiers in 2003 during the war in country.

US troops then left towards the end of the decade but returned recently when they joined Iraqi soldiers in the battle against ISIS.

It is thought there are around 1,500 troops based at Al Asad and around 5,000 US troops stationed in Iraq in total, the BBC says.



On Christmas day in December 2018 President Trump made a surprise visit to the military base.

He met American troops and posed for selfies with soldiers involved in the battle against ISIS.

It was Mr Trump who ordered the drone strike which killed general Soleimani on Friday.

Iran bragged today it had given America a "slap in the face" following its retaliated attacks on US military sites in Iraq.

At least 15 missiles were fired at Al Asad and Erbil air bases air bases overnight.

Iran's state TV boasted the operation was named 'Martyr Soleimani' and claimed 80 "American terrorists" had been killed in the strike.

However, Mr Trump took to Twitter to calm nerves.

He wrote: "All is well! Missiles launched from Iran at two military bases located in Iraq. Assessment of casualties & damages taking place now.

"So far, so good! We have the most powerful and well equipped military anywhere in the world, by far!"

Soon after the missiles were launched, Iran's foreign minister Javad Zarif called the attack a proportionate measure in self-defence and said he doesn't want the situation to escalate.



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