Posted on 07/01/2004 9:26:15 PM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
Jordan offers to send troops to Iraq
LONDON - Jordan's King Abdullah II said on Thursday that Jordan is willing to send troops to Iraq, potentially becoming the first Arab state to do so, if they are requested by the new Iraqi interim government.
He said in an interview with the British Broadcasting Corp television programme Newsnight: 'Now there is an Iraqi interim government and a fully independent process very soon in Iraq, I presume that if the Iraqis ask us for help directly it would be very difficult for us to say no.
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'Our message to the President or the Prime Minister, is tell us what you want, tell us how we can help and you have 110 per cent support from us.
'If we don't stand with them, if they fail, then we all pay the price.'
The statement marked a major shift in Jordan's policy since the US-led coalition handed power in Iraq over to Prime Minister Iyad Allawi's interim government. The king had initially refused to send troops.
He said he had not discussed the issue of sending troops with the new Iraqi government.
'I would feel that we are not the right people, but at the end of the day if there is something we can provide, a service to the future of Iraqis, then we'll definitely study that proposal,' he said in the interview conducted in London.
There was no immediate reaction to King Abdullah's comments, which will likely be welcomed by the US government. It was unclear if the Iraqis would take the kind up on his offer.
King Abdullah said: 'I feel optimistic we have strong, courageous leaders in Iraq ... these are good, top courageous people but the challenges that face them on security is going to be their major problem and they are going to need everybody's help.'
Iraq borders both Jordan, which maintains close relations with the United States, and Syria, which staunchly opposed the US-led invasion and occupation of Iraq. -- AP
Ping!
Misuderestimation is a bitch
"Misunderestimating is a bitch"
Exactly... hmmm!
Isn't Saddam's daughters in Jordan? Isn't there still a bunch of Iraqi money missing that Saddam had stashed inside of Iraq?
Haven't they sent enough Jordanian terrorists, mortars, and RPG's already? On the other hand maybe Jordanian troops can root out some of the insurgents.
Chirac: Like a pair of frog legs?
Abdullah: Ugh...
Very few of the foreign fighters killed or captured in Iraq have been from Jordan. Most are Syrian or Lebanese. Jordan has provided incredible, but very quiet support to us during the war in Iraq. This is huge and excellent news. It is a very strong statement of support and a real jab at Syria and Iran.
Yup the two daughters
I know for a fact that one of daughter badmouth US kicking out her dad Saddam
Get this this is older one that one that Saddam order hit on his son in law because they defect to another country then came back was shot on sight
The fox wants into the hen house?
Jeez...I am beginning to think that Jordan is cool...
Is this the same guy who had a bit part on Voyager a few years back?
He wouldn't send troops when we were the honchos. Now he puts out the word that he'll find it difficult to refuse IF ASKED by the Iraqis.
This is huge. The impact is still sinking in to this reader.
Saudi Arabia extends oil grant to JordanWhat this story doesn't mention is that the Saudis had accrued a vast oil reserve specifically to deal with Jordan and with others long before the war broke out, an interesting economic footnote to Gulf War II.
Jordan holding discussions with Kuwait, UAE to resume their grant of 50,000 barrels of crude oil per day.
AMMAN - Saudi Arabia has agreed to extend for one year an oil grant to Jordan and similar discussions are underway with Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, government spokeswoman was quoted as saying Thursday.
"Saudi Arabia agreed to renew for one year the oil grant to Jordan," Khodr Asma Khodr told the newspaper Al Rai.
"Discussions are underway with the brotherly states of Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates and it is hoped that they will lead to the resumption of oil grants from the two countries," she added.
Jordan had been totally dependent on Iraq for its oil needs before the March 2003 US-led war on its eastern neighbour, importing 5.5 million tonnes annually by road, half of it free and the other half at a preferential price.
As supplies were cut off with the oubreak of the war, Jordan turned to the oil-producing giants in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates and struck up a deal to receive 100,000 barrels of crude oil per day.
The Saudi grant consisted in 50,000 barrels of crude oil per day with the rest shared equally by Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.
Yeah, this is big. Jordan could rein on Sunnis in Iraq and their Al Qaeda allies. They could do some dirty works U.S. can't in return for their increased clout in Iraq.
I suppose that Jordan may want to secure its own supply of oil from Iraq, in return for sending their troops to Iraq.
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