Jordan’s King Tells Soldiers: We’ll Emerge Victorious From Syria ‘Threat’

Nation Hosts Growing Number of US Troops, Weapons

Speaking today at a military academy graduation ceremony, Jordan’s King Abdullah II vowed that his nation “will emerge victorious” in the face of the growing “threat” posed by the ongoing Syrian Civil War.

Jordan has been playing host to US training operations for Syrian rebels for months, and has welcomed a growing number of troops and weapons onto its soil in recent weeks, with the US likely to use Jordanian soil as a staging ground for any action against Syria, since Turkey is in the middle of mass riots.

All of this has fueled protests among Jordanians, who are not keen at the relative lack of reform their own protests caused, but also at the prospect of being dragged headlong into a war with Syria, its much larger and better armed neighbor.

Though Abdullah’s comments are likely just meant to bolster morale, they come at a time when tensions are soaring with Syria, and the US has just announced plans to start arming the rebels. In that context they are almost certain to spark an angry reaction, and increase the perception that the Jordanian government is on board with US-imposed regime change.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.