Unusual protest in Jordan: Hundreds demand the removal of American forces from the country
More than 1,100 public figures, jurists, and activists signed a letter calling for an end to the American military presence in the kingdom, arguing that it endangers Jordan's sovereignty and drags it into a regional conflict. Despite public pressure, the government is not expected to change its alliance with Washington.
Hundreds of public figures, jurists, and political activists in Jordan signed an open letter last week calling for the removal of American forces from the kingdom. The signatories warned that the United States' military presence harms Jordanian sovereignty and could drag the country into a regional conflict to which it is not a party.
The letter was published against the backdrop of increasing Iranian attacks against American forces and facilities in Jordan. In recent weeks, Iranian missiles and UAVs have been launched toward the kingdom, including in the early hours of Wednesday. The attacks triggered sirens across the country and illustrated the price Jordan pays for its status as an important hub for American military activity in the Middle East.
"We believe that their presence exposes Jordan to security, political, and economic risks that do not serve any national interest, and increases the possibility that our country will be dragged into a regional conflict to which it is not a party," the letter stated.
In the background, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry announced today that Egypt will support any step that Saudi Arabia and Jordan take to maintain their security and protect their facilities.
Currently, about 4,000 American soldiers are stationed in Jordan at several bases. Since the United States and Israel launched the war against Iran at the end of February, Tehran has responded with attacks against Israel and Washington's allies in the region, including Jordan.
The war has also hit the Jordanian tourism sector, which accounts for up to 18% of the country's income. The damage has exacerbated the situation of an economy already dealing with high unemployment, a lack of natural resources, and persistent weakness.
Despite the escalation and the attacks on its territory, the Jordanian government has not shown signs that it is considering changing its alliance with the United States. According to analysts, one of the main reasons for this is the kingdom's heavy dependence on American aid. Last year, the United States provided Jordan with economic and military aid totaling $1.65 billion, according to Jordanian sources.
Sufyan al-Tal, a 90-year-old political activist, said he signed the letter to illustrate the gap between the government's position, and especially its support for close ties with the United States and Israel, and the position of many in the Jordanian public.
"We, as the Jordanian people, do not accept the government's policy and the exploitation of Jordan and its capabilities, in one way or another, to protect Israel," al-Tal said. He was arrested at the end of 2022 by Jordanian security forces after planning to publicly criticize a speech by King Abdullah.
According to him, the presence of American forces endangers Jordanian citizens, partly due to debris from Iranian missiles fired at Israel and intercepted by American defense systems stationed in the kingdom. Al-Tal said that since the publication of the letter, hundreds of additional signatories have joined him, even though they are aware of the possible risks. "The government's response will be to open the prison doors and drag us one by one to prison," he warned.
The dispute was also evident in a discussion held on Monday in the Jordanian parliament. Member of Parliament Ali al-Khalayleh suggested that lawmakers send condolences to the United States for the death of its soldiers on Jordanian soil, but other parliament members responded with shouting. One of them accused the American military of killing children, women, and the elderly.
However, it is difficult to assess how much the letter reflects the position of the general public in Jordan. There are no public opinion polls on the subject in the country, and the price of critical expression can be heavy. According to political observers, most of the signatories are identified with leftist, pan-Arab, or Islamist camps.
Daoud Kuttab, a Palestinian-American journalist and commentator living in Amman, said that no Jordanian media outlet published the text of the letter. According to him, this reflects both instructions from the authorities not to distribute it and self-censorship. One media outlet even published an article against the letter but did not include its content.
The letter was circulated on social media, but Kuttab estimated that it would not ignite a wider wave of protest. "The space for freedom of expression is shrinking, and so is the space for the right to demonstrate," he said. "I think this is probably a one-time event. I don't see a domino effect."
In 2023, Jordan enacted strict penalties for offenses such as "spreading false news" and "threatening social peace." According to Amnesty International, the legislation has been used against journalists, activists, and government critics.
Last year, the government banned the activities of the Muslim Brotherhood after accusing the Islamist movement of planning attacks in the country. Security forces also raided the headquarters of the Islamic Action Front party, the largest opposition party in Jordan, which is considered the political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood in the kingdom.
Aaron Magid, author of the book "The Most American King: Abdullah of Jordan," said that the Jordanian authorities have previously prosecuted people who criticized not only the government but also its allies.
"In this case, they are criticizing Jordan's security policy and its most important component — the partnership with the United States," he said. "This is a bold step."
