Jordan asks US to deploy Patriot air defence systems
As tensions rise in the region, Jordan asked Washington to deploy Patriot air defence systems on October 29, reports Reuters.
A spokesperson for Jordan’s army noted that the use of the systems would give the country a boost in defending their borders.
Jordan, a non-NATO member, has had close ties with the United States for over four decades. US foreign policy seeks to establish peace and stability in the region.
The Americans have also aided the Middle Eastern country in its fight against terrorism.
Military spokesperson Brigadier General Mustafa Hiyari told national television that “We asked the American side to help bolster our defense system with Patriot air defense missile systems,”.
READ:Israel air strikes hit strategic targets in eastern Syria
Since the breakout of the ongoing Syrian civil war in 2011, the United States has funded Jordan to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars to aid them set up a surveillance system (often referred to as the Border Security Programme) that would clamp down on Syrian and Iraqi militants who may attempt to enter the kingdom.
The civil war erupted due to strongman Bashar Al-Assad’s rampant action against peaceful anti-government protests.
US Patriot systems were originally stationed in 2013 in Jordan as a result of fears that the war could boil over and cause a widespread regional conflict.
Reuters
