Jordan

Jordan: The increased show of U.S. military might which brings the total number of U.S. forces in Jordan to as many as 1,000 should be seen as a signal to Syria that it must confine its 2-year-old civil war within its borders, officials said. The officials said it is meant to show that the U.S. is committed to its defence relationship with Jordan and that America intends to maintain a strong presence in the region, according to Times Colonist. The F-16 fighters, along with a Patriot missile battery and about 700 U.S. troops, are staying in Jordan beyond an international military exercise, which ended this week. The decision significantly increases the number of U.S. troops in Jordan, adding to the approximately 250 that have been there for some time and WASHINGTON - About a dozen U.S. fighter jets will be flying and conducting training operations in Jordan, poised to respond if needed to protect allies if the war in neighbouring Syria spills over the border, U.S. administration officials said Friday. The officials added, however, that the decision to keep the F-16 fighters there is not a first step toward establishing a no-fly zone around any parts of Syria and should not be interpreted as a move to begin staging American troops there for possible military action in Syria. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the mission publicly. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.