The United States and Jordan could soon see their present military cooperation expand if a new bipartisan Senate bill is enacted.
U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Jacky Rosen (D-NV) introduced the United States-Jordan Defense Cooperation Act to solidify both nations’ military interdependence.
If passed, the bill would streamline American arms sales to Jordan and establish a program for enhanced US-Jordan cooperation on unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and missile defense.
According to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Jordan is one of the largest recipients of US military aid in the region and cooperates with the US on border and maritime security, arms transfers, cybersecurity, counterterrorism, and other defense issues.
The Secretary and the Commander of US Central Command (CENTCOM) shall brief Congress on the progress of the bill’s implementation within one year of its passage.
Most of the bill, such as the UAS and missile defense program, is specifically designed to protect Jordan from Iranian attacks.
When announcing the bill via press release, Senator Rubio explained Jordan has been a consistent force for good in the Middle East as it combats US adversaries.
“Jordan has proven to be a reliable U.S. partner in our fight to counter our adversaries in the Middle East,” said Rubio.
Senator Rosen directly applauded Jordan’s commitment to supporting the US’ efforts against Iran’s regime.
“The U.S.-Jordan partnership is a pillar of stability in the Middle East,” said Rosen. “Jordan shares many interests with the United States, from combating violent extremism to defending against Iran’s aggression.”
Iran, both directly and indirectly, has been increasingly launching attacks against countries more closely aligned with the US and the West since Hamas’ attacks on Israel.
The Houthis, a Yemeni terrorist group primarily financed by Tehran, have been a major channel of Iranian aggression towards the West.
Since Hamas’ October 7th attacks, the Houthis have launched an aggressive campaign against Israel, targeting Israeli and allies’ ships with daily missile strikes.
