USA and Jordan put the "raging lion" ongoing operation

By  Summary Latinoamericano ,  www.resumenlatinoamericano.org

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Summary Latinoamericano / East Monitor / May 8, 2017 - United States and Jordan have launched what will be the largest military exercise ever conducted in the Hashemite Kingdom, reports the  Huffington Post . Under the code name  Eager Lion, ( "furious lion"), the exercise will mobilize more than 7,400 troops from both countries.

Although most participants are US troops and Jordan, soldiers from more than 20 countries will participate in the operation, including Britain, Japan, Kenya and Saudi Arabia, which is expected to last until May 18.

According to military spokesmen for the American and Jordanian armies,  Eager Lion  cover border security, cyber defense and command and control exercises to maintain mutual coordination in response to threats, including terrorism.

The exercise is in charge of Brigadier General Khalid Al-Sharaa Jordan. "Jordan has it been hosting these exercises with our partners and allies for many years," he said. 

"The joint efforts and coordination with an exchange of expertise (...) are needed at a time when the region is facing the threat of terrorism".

General Bill Hickman, deputy commander of US forces in the area said that the exercise of this year is the largest and most complex undertaken to date. 

" Eager Lion  has it become an important exercise between the US, Jordan and other international military partners , " he added. "This is the first time a global airstrikes mission will be led by two aircraft B-1B bomber of the United States Air Force, multi-mission bomber long range , " Hickman said.

The first time these joint exercises were conducted was in 2011. Last year, 6,000 soldiers participated Jordan and the United States. Jordan is one of the main partners of the US-led coalition fighting in the Middle East Daesh.

As reported  AlJazeera.com two years ago, the United States announced its intention to increase overall aid to Jordan from the current $ 660 million to reach 1,000 million annually for the period 2015-2017.

Jordan rejects agreement Astana and threatens Syria

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• August 5th, 2017
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In a statement to Jordan Television on Sunday, Mohammad al Moemeni said his country has not signed the agreement on the establishment of the four areas of strife in Syria reached at the meeting held in early May in Astana, Kazakhstan, where his country has participated as an observer.

He said the Jordanian regime will follow the same policy regarding the Syrian crisis. Jordan has hosted over the years the MOQ center, which has played an important role in financial, logistical and military support to terrorist groups in Syria, especially those operating in the south.

It should be noted that one of the areas covered by the suggested Russia agreed with Iran and Turkey plan is the establishment of a demilitarized zone in the province of Deraa, which is on the border with Jordan.

Some media have been talking for weeks that an offensive against the Syrian province of Daraa, in southern Syria would be ready by Jordan with support from the UK and the US to repeat the same scenario in northern Syria with Turkish invasion and creating an occupied supported militias Ankara area.

For its part, the Syrian army has sent troops to the Jordanian border in order to abort a similar operation.

military exercises

Since 7 May, an annual military exercise "Eager Lion" is held in Jordan, under the command of US Army and Jordan, with the participation of some 7,400 soldiers from 20 countries. According to the Jordanian Army soldiers from Europe, Asia, Africa and the Gulf countries participate in these maneuvers.

According to AFP, it is expected that the seventh edition of these maneuvers will last ten days.

But this year, these joint military exercises are marked by the presence of two American supersonic B-1B bombers.

It should be noted that the text of the agreement Astana was proposed to the Security Council on Monday by the Russian ambassador to the UN. He will be put to a vote by the member countries of the Council between 8 and 9 May.