For decades now there has been a constant in the often volatile and dangerous region of the Middle East. Throughout the years there is something that the United States could almost always count on. I speak not of the long relationship that the United States has had with our close friend and regional ally, the nation of Israel.
No matter what else has happened, no matter what the regional political climate and its sometimes precarious nature have been, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is that constant of which I speak. The nation of Jordan has long offered its’ friendship to the United States. That friendship is something that we have always been able to rely on.
The Hashemite Kingdom has been a staunch and reliable ally of the United States for many decades now, stretching back at least as far as the reign of King Hussein, the father of the current King Abdullah.
Have there been disagreements over the years? Most certainly, as with any close friends, there are times when we just don’t see eye-to-eye on some things. There have been times when the friendship between our two nations has been tested. But what binds us together as friends and allies far outweighs any differences we may have had over the years.
There is another constant that the United States and the region could always count on, at least since 1979. We’ve come to know that the Islamic Republic of Iran will create as much discord and friction as they can in the Middle East. Meddling in the affairs of other nations, supporting terrorism and extremism, and stirring up as much trouble as they can get away with.
The current challenges created by Iran in Israel and Gaza have been difficult for all nations in the region to navigate. Radical extremists controlled by the Islamic Republic of Iran have struck the match and set off a firestorm. Israel, the United States, and in particular among the Arab nations, Jordan have been forced to respond to last year’s horrific October 7th attacks. Those atrocities, certainly if not the brainchild of Iran, at the very least have been fully supported by them.
Iran thrives on chaos and would love nothing more than to destabilize the entire region, starting with the Kingdom of Jordan, and then following with Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, the recent signatories to the Abraham Accords successfully negotiated by the Trump Administration. According to insider reports, Saudi Arabia was also close to signing the agreement, bringing the state of war between Israel and Saudi Arabia to an end as well, and bringing into the open the cooperation between the two countries that has existed for a while now.
The Kingdom of Jordan would be the big prize though, certainly due to its close proximity to Israel. If Jordan were to experience internal strife and civil unrest it would certainly be exploited by Iran, perhaps even threatening, or at least possibly influencing the Jordanian monarchy.
Certainly toppling the Jordanian government would not be an easy task since Jordan is ruled by a true warrior king, King Abdullah. But Iran would be happy to just create enough internal strife to at least distract Jordan from Iran’s other activities, and drive a wedge between Jordan, the United States, and Israel.
That’s why it’s vitally important for the United Stares to continue our close cooperation with Jordan’s military, intelligence, and security services. We rely on each other to help keep a lid on that part of the world, and to prevent Iran’s political expansionist plans for the region.
But aside from the national security implications for Jordan, Israel, and the United States, standing by our friends who have stood by us is just the right thing to do. The United States needs Jordan’s help, and the unique regional understanding and wisdom of King Abdullah to help maintain order in the region, and prevent Iran from achieving its goals.
America needs friends in the Middle East. When they stand by us, we must stand by them. Our Arab friends will remember if we don’t, and who could blame them?