There may be some irony in the plan by Idaho to train military pilots from Saudi Arabia as part of a $60 billion arms deal:

Three of the many who joined the chorus against building an Islamic cultural centre two blocks from where seven Saudi terrorists helped to kill more than 2,700 people were congressman Mike Simpson and senators Jim Risch and Mike Crapo, all from Idaho.

“I do not believe the construction of this Islamic centre so near to Ground Zero is proper,” insisted Crapo.

“This construction proposal is proving highly divisive to Americans across the political spectrum who are still seeking to recover fully from the emotional, economic and social scars caused by the terrorist attacks.”

Simpson echoed those sentiments, stating: “I think building a mosque at Ground Zero is inappropriate and insensitive.”

While Risch put his feelings this way: “Considering what occurred at Ground Zero in New York City I completely sympathise with those who object to a mosque being built in that area.”

All three Idaho politicians, however, have come out in favour of hosting hundreds of Saudi military personnel and their families at a US air force base in Idaho where they will be trained by US air force personnel to fly advanced fighter aircraft and learn the fundamentals of aerial combat.

Nick Turse, reporting for Al Jazeera, uses the title “Blowback mountain” to describe opposition by residents of Idaho. There are numerous quotes of outrage about bringing outsiders to the inside of America. On the other side of the issue is Alyssa Wallace, spokesperson for 366th Fighter Wing Public Affairs office at Mountain Home Air Base in Idaho. She tells him training of Saudis by the US is not a new event:

Just since 2007 alone, more than 1,000 Royal Saudi Air Force personnel have attended USAF training programmes, including pilot, navigator, logistics, maintenance and explosive ordnance disposal training, as well as professional military education courses.