Jordan to aid US in return for cheap oil

AMERICA has secured the use of Jordanian bases for any attack on Iraq by guaranteeing that Jordan will continue to receive cheap oil during the war.
The US move is part of a package of measures designed to ensure that Jordan’s Government can privately support the US campaign against Iraq while publicly criticising it.

In return America will be able to use military bases in eastern Jordan. From there it could hit Scud missile launchers that Iraq would need to deploy close to the Jordanian border to attack Israel.

All Jordan’s oil is supplied by Iraq at a quarter of the market rate. Any threat to the supply and cheap price would have a disastrous effect on Jordan’s economy.

It is feared that in the event of a US attack Iraq would fire missiles at Israel, as it did in the Gulf War, in an attempt to bring Israel into the war.

Jordan is willing to compromise its anti-war stance because it fears that Israel could destroy an Iraqi missile armed with chemical or biological agents over Jordan and contaminate its territory.

The US would also base search-and-rescue teams in Jordan to seek out any pilots shot down by the Iraqis.