House Approves Closer Military Ties with Jordan

American lawmakers on Tuesday approved legislation that would ramp up military cooperation with Jordan, including accelerated arms sales to a Middle East ally contending with growing threats from Islamist extremism, AFP reported.

 

Jordan has become a focal point in the fight against the self-described Islamic State (ISIS) because the Hashemite kingdom borders Syria and Iraq, two nations where large swathes of land have been claimed by ISIS extremists.

 

U.S. forces are currently training a small group of vetted Syrian rebels in Jordan. A Jordanian pilot captured by ISIS in December was burned alive on video, in one of the jihadist group’s most brutal executions.

 

The House of Representatives passed the bill by voice vote and it now heads to the Senate for consideration.

 

House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Ed Royce said the measure sends a “strong message of support” to a critical partner at a vital time.

 

“Jordan sits on the front lines of the fight against ISIS and a refugee crisis in Syria where millions have been displaced,” Royce said, according to AFP.

 

“As a longtime key partner for peace and security in the region, it is important the U.S. support Jordan as it confronts these security challenges,” he added.

 

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