Vice President Biden welcomed Qatari Minister of State for Defense Affairs Hamad Bin Ali Al-Attiyah at the White House today.  The Vice President and Minister of State discussed regional issues, including Syria, Iraq, Libya, and the Gaza crisis.  The Vice President congratulated Qatar on the signing of Letters of Offer and Acceptance for Apache Helicopters and Patriot and Javelin defense systems and reaffirmed the strong strategic relationship between Qatar and the United States.