The Jordan Armed Forces (JAF) denied on Wednesday the presence of US
military forces assisting Jordan to confront the potential dangers posed by
Syria's chemical weapon stockpiles.
In a statement to the Jordan News Agency, Petra, a JAF official stressed
that there are currently no US forces assisting Jordan with its humanitarian
aid efforts along the borders or countering any dangers posed by Syria's
reported chemical weapons stockpile.
The official stressed that the "JAF is capable of confronting any future
threats that may arise" without outside assistance.
The statement came in response to a news report published by the New York
Times on Wednesday claiming that Washington had dispatched 150 advisers and
strategists to help Jordan cope with the rising number of refugees and prevent
President Bashar Assad regime's potential use of chemical weapons.
The report claimed that the dispatch of military advisers and specialists
came as part of Washington's efforts to prevent the conflict from spilling
across Jordan's borders.
In its statement, JAF stressed that the presence of any international
military personnel on Jordanian soil is part of joint training agreements and
"have no relations" with current developments in Syria.
The military's denial came as US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta confirmed
US-Jordanian military cooperation on Syria, indicating that Washington is
working with Amman to monitor Syria's chemical weapons.
On the sidelines of a meeting of NATO defence ministers in Brussels on
Wednesday, Panetta claimed that a US team has been working in Jordan to aid
Amman in coping with the influx of thousands of Syrian refugees into the
Kingdom and prevent the conflict from spilling across its borders.
"We have been working with Jordan for a period of time now... on a number
of issues that have developed as a result of what's happening in Syria,"
Panetta said, according to a statement published by the US department of
defence.
In addition to monitoring Damascus' alleged chemical weapon stockpiles,
Panetta said the US forces are currently working with Jordan to prepare a
potential military response to any escalations in Syria.
"We've also been working with them to try to develop their own military
and operational capabilities in the event of any contingency there, and that's
the reason we have a group of our forces there."
Jordanian officials could not be reached late Wednesday to publicly
comment on Panetta's remarks.
In response to Panetta's remarks, a second Jordanian security source
close to military operations in the border region denied the presence of US
"boots on the ground", indicating that a team of specialists from Washington
are currently providing Amman with "technical and logistical support" in its
efforts to secure the border.
As part of the ongoing military cooperation, Amman and Washington are
currently exploring the possibility of establishing a "buffer-zone" along the
border region should Damascus move to use its alleged chemical weapons, the
source added.
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News Column
Jordan Denies Presence of US 'counter-Syria' Forces
Oct. 11, 2012
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Source: (c)2012 Jordan Times (Amman, Jordan) Distributed by MCT Information Services
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