Diplomats: Jordan OKs U.S. Use of Bases

ABC News ^ | 1/30/03

[areafiftyone]

Jordan has agreed to base U.S. troops in the kingdom and to allow the United States to use Jordanian airspace if Washington launches a war against Iraq, Jordanian-based diplomats said Thursday.

Also, the United States will provide Jordan with three anti-missile batteries in advance of any attack on Iraq, Jordanian officials said.

The diplomats, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the U.S. troop presence initially would be limited to search and rescue operations but could expand in the course of any war to include attack forces against Western Iraq from along the Jordanian border.

There is strong resistance to a U.S.-led attack on Iraq among Jordanians and the government has sought to portray itself as uninvolved in any preparations for war.

Iraq is Jordan's key trading partner and eastern neighbor, and Jordan is home to a large Iraqi expatriate community.

Iraq's Arab neighbors have called on the United States to find a peaceful resolution to the standoff over whether Iraq is hiding weapons of mass destruction. But with the United States appearing determined to attack Iraq, claiming the U.N. inspection regime had failed, many Arab countries appear resigned to war and are blaming President Saddam Hussein.

The Patriot anti-missile batteries, to be delivered to Jordan within a few days, will be deployed mostly along the eastern frontier with Iraq, the Jordanian officials told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. They declined to disclose other details.

In the 1991 Gulf war, Iraq violated Jordanian airspace when it launched 39 Scud missiles at Israel. Jordan refused to join the U.S.-led coalition in that fight.

Last week, Jordan's army chief asked Gen. Tommy Franks, commander of the U.S. Central Command, to provide the kingdom with the anti-missile batteries. Prime Minister Ali Abul-Ragheb has said Jordan will rely on surface-to-air missiles to defend its airspace in the event Israel and Iraq lobbed missiles at each other.

Jordan had negotiated an air-defense deal with Russia, which failed to deliver quickly enough.

There was no immediate confirmation on the Patriot deal from Washington, which delivered six F-16 fighter jets to Jordan on Wednesday in the first batch of a donation of 16 attack aircraft to bolster Jordanian defense capabilities.

Jordan is a key U.S. ally in the Mideast, but has crucial business ties with Iraq. Trade with Baghdad amounted to $700 million last year. The kingdom also receives all its daily requirement of 90,000 barrels of oil from Baghdad half of it at preferential prices and the rest as a gift from Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

Jordanians are bound by close geographic, social, cultural and religious ties with Iraq and are sympathetic to the Iraqis, who blame 12 years of U.N. sanctions for the death of tens of thousands of people.

King Abdullah II, who has said Jordan will not be a launching pad for an attack on Iraq, recently said chances of averting war with Iraq have "become slim."

[Defiant]

I heard recently that Jordan's king had been considered as a possible Constitutional monarch over Iraq once the war is over. Any more information on that?

[Thinkin' Gal]

Jordan is a key U.S. ally in the Mideast, but has crucial business ties with Iraq. Trade with Baghdad amounted to $700 million last year. The kingdom also receives all its daily requirement of 90,000 barrels of oil from Baghdad half of it at preferential prices and the rest as a gift from Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein

He must not be worried about getting his daily oil cut off. Especially if he's about to gain control of the spigot.

[PhiKapMom]

This is good news! Jordan will be a big help to us!

[Free the USA]

http://www.freerepublic.com/perl/bump-list

[areafiftyone]

It is. Jordan realizes that they have alot to gain from this alliance. The U.S. will make sure they are not forgotten and they know that.

[GraniteStateConservative]

You're incredibly sexist-- posting a pic of his mug, but not that of his gorgeous wife:

[areafiftyone]

Haven't heard anything yet. I don't think the Iraqi's who are waiting in the wings to go back into their country once Saddam is out would allow it. Jeeze these kings of these countries just amass so much wealth and power - it's insane!

[areafiftyone]

That annorexic Julia Roberts look-a-like witch is a sickening! I hate her. She is pro-palestinian and does not like the U.S. She is nothing like her husband and gives alot of money to the Palestinian cause.

[GraniteStateConservative]

Beauty and the [Hilde]Beast

[DoughtyOne]

  

Queen Rania and King Abdullah of Jordan

Jordan has been a friend of the United States for a long time.

It does disturb me that any of our political figures would address this issue in public.

King Abdullah reigns over a nation that is overwhelmingly Moslem.  Beyond that his
citizenry is made up of former Iraqis and other people who would find his support of
the west to be disgusting.  The insensitivity to this reality that our public officials display
by addressing this in public, leads me to believe that they could care less if he were to
be Sadated.  Something is wrong with that.

The dealings between Jordan and the United States should be on background only!

[areafiftyone]

Don't be fooled by the pretty face. Her venom against the U.S. is worse than Hillary's any day. I heard her speaking at a palistinian march in Jordan and believe me she put Hillary to shame. She is pure evil!

[KellyAdmirer]

Isn't he the one that did a cameo appearance once on Star Trek?

[mabelkitty]

In adddition, she threw the lovely Queen Noor to the streets without a penny of support. The King is the late Hussein's eldest from his first wife, and this selection (if I recall correctly) over the brother was a slight.

Jordan has been long-time allies, and that is true. However, that was due in great part to the lovely Queen Noor.

[areafiftyone]

Did you know she is a Palestinian? I didn't realize that at first until she marched in that anti-Israeli protest shouting "Beloved bin Laden, strike Tel Aviv!". She has the same mentality as them but unlike them she has untold wealth and tries to look like a hollywierd starlett.

[Toddsterpatriot]

Pull. Snap her fat neck.

[xJones]

Queen Raina is of the Abdullah Yasin family from Tulkarm. Tulkarm is located just inside the Green Line, 15 miles from the Mediteranean Sea.

[xJones]

If you do a Google on Tulkarm, you'll see that that Palestinian town has been a lot of trouble. Tulkarm.

[UCFRoadWarrior]

Historically, the King of Jordan (his family) were the original rulers of the Hijaz......the area of present-day Saudi Arabia that comprises the holy city of Mecca.

In the 20's the Saud family invaded the area and kicked out the Hasehmite's (King of Jordan).

In Islamic culture, much power and prestige is vested on those who control Mecca....the "Guardians of Mecca"

The British, who originally guaranteed the Hashemites the Hijaz area after the partition of the Middle East, gave the King the area of Transjordan (Jordan) after getting pushed out of the Hijaz.

What does this mean? Well, based on prior history, it wouldnt be a surprise if Jordan were to get parts, or all, of Iraq. They are not originally from Jordan, either

[xJones]

The British, who originally guaranteed the Hashemites the Hijaz area after the partition of the Middle East, gave the King the area of Transjordan (Jordan) after getting pushed out of the Hijaz.

The British were generous to the Hashemites. One brother became King Faisal I of Iraq in 1921 and another brother, Abdullah I, became ruler of Trans-Jorndan about that time. Faisal of Iraq died in 1933, and was followed by his son, and then grandson Faisal II, who was murdered in 1958, ending that dynasty. But Faisal II's cousin, King Hussein of now Jordan hung on and his son Abdullah II, is now the remaining Hashemite king in that area. For 37 years, Iraq was under Hashemite rule.