Muslim brothers doubt denial on attack; Abdullah: striking Iraq now a silly idea
Jordan-Iraq, Politics, 7/30/2002

The Jordanian King Abdullah has considered the American intervention in Iraq before achieving a progress towards the Palestinian - Israeli peace is a "silly idea," stressing that the best option in dealing with Iraq is to maintain a dialogue.

Meantime, the Jordanian Muslim brothers group doubted the official denial by Amman of any Jordanian participation in the attack against Iraq.

In a statement to CNN, just few days before his coming meeting in Washington with the US President George Bush, he said "In Jordan, we always think that dialogue with Iraq is the only option," adding "when I say Jordan, I can more expectedly talk on behalf of any one in the international community, from China to Russia, through our colleagues in the European Union." He added that the idea of the American interference in Iraq at a time when the Israeli- Palestinian conflict put the middle East in a state of unrest is a "little bit funny."

The Jordanian king said he will not discuss with Bush any plans to attack Iraq, rather will try to push the idea of convening a peace conference in order to find a solution for the conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians.

The Jordanian monarch explained the dimensions of the humanitarian crisis the Palestinians face. He added "we always feel that dialogue is the best way to dealing with Iraq and to try and bring it back to the international community. And we are always worried that the use of force might result in great instability in the Middle East, especially in light of not having the optimum progress in the Israeli- Palestinian conflict."

He explained he did not make any talks with the US on the possibility of deploying American forces in Jordan in case an operation will be carried out against Iraq. He said "this did not happen and I do not think it will."

Meanwhile, the general observer of the Jordanian Muslim brothers group Abdul Majeed al-Zuneibat doubted on Sunday the assertions made by the Jordanian government on its non- involvement in any American plan to strike Iraq. Al-Zuneibat questioned in a press conference "how do we believe statements of the Jordanian government towards Iraq while the American forces " are intending "to carry out exercises on the Jordanian territories, not isolated from preparations to attack Iraq."

On July 11 the Jordanian prime minister Ali Abul Ragheb deliberately denied news reports of Jordan's consent to the use of Jordanian territories by the US as a starting point for launching a military attack against Iraq.

On the other hand, the spokesman for the American fifth fleet stationed in Bahrain said that the naval alliance forces resumed inspection of ships to the north of the Red Sea in the context of the tough measures to fight smuggling operations relating to Iraq "and reinforcing sanction" imposed on Iraq.

Previous Stories:
  Assafir: Jordan invites Iraq to check if US military is on its bases for attack   (7/13/2002)
  Jordan warns of attacking Iraq, denies American forces on its territories   (7/12/2002)
  Jordan denies the existence of American forces to strike Iraq   (7/1/2002)

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