Amman: – The US military will be allowed free entry into Jordan. The Jordanian government announced that there would be no restrictions on the entry of US soldiers, fighter jets and vehicles. This provision had been made in the defence agreement signed with the United States. Jordan informed that this defence agreement got concluded after prolonged negotiations over the last several months. Jordan government claimed that this agreement did not violate the sovereignty of the country. The United States and Jordan signed a new defence agreement in January. Last month itself, the Jordan government sanctioned the agreement without presenting it in Parliament. Therefore, discussions regarding the terms of the agreement were rife in Jordan. Therefore, Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi revealed the agreement’s information while talking to the media.
The agreement grants free access to US soldiers, fighter jets, helicopters, military vehicles, and ships. The US military can be armed while moving in Jordan. US soldiers can move openly in Jordan with weapons. Safadi clarified that Jordan is also permitting the United States to create weapons depots in Jordan. Saleh Al-Armouti, leader of the extremist group in the Jordanian parliament, objected to the agreement. Armouti criticised that this agreement violates Jordanian law and sovereignty. But Foreign Minister Safadi claimed that the agreement or the free access granted to the US military does not violate the sovereignty of Jordan.
Safadi informed that this agreement was signed with the United States against the background of the military and defence cooperation between the two countries, dating back many decades. Foreign Minister Safadi reminded that the United States would be supplying weapons worth more than USD 520 million, per year, to Jordan, under the agreement. Foreign Minister Safadi also clarified that this agreement does not permit the US military to initiate any military action in the country.
There are nearly 3,000 US soldiers deployed in Jordan. Jordan itself allowed this deployment to counter the terrorist organisation IS and for the stability of the region. Jordan allowed the United States to use Muwaffaq Salti Airbase. The concerned airbase is used for the ‘Operation Inherent Resolve’ military campaign against the IS. This cooperation between the United States and Jordan becomes significant against the background of the Gulf sector’s current developments. The United States has stopped weapons supply to Saudi and United Arab Emirates, its allies in the Middle East. Therefore, concerns were being expressed that the US influence in the sector will reduce. But the United States is demonstrating that its influence in the Middle East is the same in this cooperation with Jordan.
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