Syria Warns Jordan Over Aiding Rebels

Syria’s regime sternly warned neighboring Jordan on Thursday that it was “playing with fire” by allowing the U.S. and other countries to train and arm rebels on its territory.

Jordan, America’s closest ally in the Arab world, has long been nervous that President Bashar Assad’s hard-line regime could retaliate for supporting the rebels. The warning carried on state media may add to those jitters, though Jordanian government officials publicly downplayed it as “mere speculation by the Syrian media.”

Syrian state media said leaks in U.S. media show Jordan “has a hand in training terrorists and then facilitating their entry into Syria.” State radio accused Jordan of “playing with fire.”

A front-page editorial in the government daily al-Thawra accused Amman of adopting a policy of “ambiguity” by training the rebels while at the same time publicly insisting on a “political solution” to the Syrian crisis.

“Jordan’s attempt to put out the flame from the leaked information will not help as it continues with its mysterious policy, which brings it closer to the volcanic crater,” the paper said.

Two Jordanian officials downplayed the diplomatic tiff with Syria. One said Jordan will not discuss the state of relations through the media.

Jordan has long been concerned that the Assad regime could use chemical weapons against it, or that agents linked to the regime or its allied Lebanese terrorist group Hizbullah could attack the kingdom.

The Syrian warnings appeared to reflect the regime’s concerns about statements by U.S. and other Western and Arab officials saying Jordan has been facilitating arms shipments and hosting training camps for Syrian rebels since last October.

The training and the influx of foreign-funded weapons have coincided with rebel gains in southern Syria near the strategic border area with Jordan.

Those gains could be leading up to control of the region along the Jordanian border. That would be a major victory that could offer rebels a staging ground to try to attack the capital Damascus, the seat of Assad’s power.

This article appeared in print on page 2 of the April 5th, 2013 edition of Hamodia.