The Kingdom of Jordan opened up a desert air base to reporters on Monday as it denied reports the facility was being refurbished to house U.S. troops preparing to strike the neighboring country of Iraq.
"We are frustrated with these reports," base commander Brig. Gen. Mohammad Amin al-Quran told 25 foreign reporters during a government-guided tour of the base, according to AP.
Al-Quran also said that Amman wouldn't participate in any capacity should Washington attack Baghdad. The Hashemite kingdom, which borders Iraq to the north and Israel to the west, also sat out the Persian Gulf War in 1991. "We didn't participate in attacking Iraq when others did, so how can we do that now?" al-Quran asked.
"Jordan's policy advocates resolving conflicts in peaceful means and through dialogue," he added.
The Times of London last week said "major refurbishment" was under way to accommodate U.S. troops at Muafaq al-Salti Air Force Base, some 75 kilometers east of Amman and 235 kilometers west of the Iraqi frontier.
Reporters toured most of the base's facilities, which include houses, missile shops, warehouses, maintenance hangars, sand-covered aircraft bunkers, a runway, staff apartments and entertainment facilities. There were no indications of new construction.
Aircraft seen were mainly American F-16s, donated in the year 1997 as part of a $300 million aid package to reward Jordan for signing a 1994 treaty with Israel.
Even though the aircraft were American and much of the equipment was purchased from the United States, "we don't have American troops here," al-Quran made clear. (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
