US Military to Step up Presence in Jordan, Amman: No for Military Intervention in Syria
Local Editor
In a clear indication of growing US military involvement in Syria, US War Secretary Chuck Hagel ordered the deployment of more American troops to Jordan.
Hagel announced the deployment, in a statement to the Senate Armed Services Committee on Wednesday.
He stated that the troops will work alongside Jordanian forces to "improve readiness and prepare for a number of scenarios."The troops, which will number up to 200, are from the headquarters of the 1st Armored Division at Fort Bliss, Texas, two Military Department officials told CNN.
"The deployment creates an additional capability beyond what has been there," one official claimed, and will give the United States the ability to potentially form a joint task force for military operations, if ordered."
"The new deployment will include communications and intelligence specialists who will assist the Jordanians and "be ready for military action if President Barack Obama were to order it," the official said.
There have been several dozen American troops, mainly special forces, in Jordan for the past year assisting the Jordanians.
This comes as the Pentagon has recently reviewed military options for Syria although Obama has not ordered any to be put into action.
Hagel cautioned lawmakers about the difficulties surrounding any direct US military action in Syria.
"It could embroil the United States in a significant, lengthy, and uncertain military commitment," he said.
He called military intervention "an option, but an option of last resort."
For its part, Jordan said it was against military intervention in neighboring Syria, as more a warning by President Bashar al-Assad that the crisis could engulf the kingdom.
"Our position on the situation in Syria has not changed," Information Minister Mohammad Momani told AFP. "We are still against any military intervention in Syria. We urge a political solution to end the bloodshed in Syria."
Momani, who is also Jordan's government spokesman, declined to comment on al-Assad's remarks.
"At the moment, we will not comment on what the president said in order to avoid any political or security fallout. We are studying the situation," he said.
In an hour-long interview with official al-Ikhbariya channel late Wednesday, al-Assad warned that the fire in Syria could spread to Jordan, which he accused of allowing Syrian rebels free movement across its borders.
Momani said the US deployment "is part of US-Jordanian military cooperation."
He had on Wednesday told AFP that the dispatch of US troops was "to boost the Jordanian armed forces in light of the deteriorating situation in Syria."
Prime Minister Abdullah Nsur told parliament on Sunday that the impact of Syria's war posed a threat to the kingdom's security and Jordan would seek the UN Security Council's help to tackle the fallout.
Source: News Agencies, Edited by moqawama.org
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