Jordan is considering cutting ties with Hamas following the thwarting of a Hamas terror attack against Jordan. Jordan arrested an unknown number of Hamas members who were, according to a government spokesman, at 'the implementation phase of operations that targeted Jordanian institutions and public figures'. The initial arrests were accompanied by the seizure of an arms cache, which included TNT and British/Swedish LAW anti-tank rockets. Since then, Jordan has discovered a second cache in northern Jordan based on information from an arrested Hamas member.
The Jordanians are also claiming that the orders for the attack came from the Syrian-based Hamas leadership. 'Sources' have told Lebanese paper al-Mustaqbal that security forces recorded Khaled Mashaal discussing the attack with one of the cell members. They also go one step further:
In this conversation, the sources said, Mashaal noted that Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas has been brought up to date on all the details.
If, as Hamas and the Jordanian Islamist politicians claim, the entire plot is a fabrication intended to isolate Hamas and curry favour with the U.S., tarring Mahmoud Abbas with the same brush is a pretty cack-handed way to go about it. Abbas is still the guy the U.S., Israel and - yes - Jordan are willing to talk to in the PA. To accuse Abbas of being aware of a Hamas plot to attack Jordan and - implicitly - not coming forward would be to write off any chance of a two-state solution. And Jordan is in favour of a two-state solution.
That said, framing Hamas for planning to wage war against the West's favourite moderate Arab ally would surely put the nail in Hamas's coffin, in terms of Western support? After all, Hamas is a threat to Jordanian stability, too. Accusing a group like Hamas of planning to attack Jordan will make many Arab rulers think twice before providing anything but moral support. Naming Syria as the sponsors of the group raises the possibility of additional tension - Jordan and Syria have nearly gone to war on a number of occasions, usually after a Syrian-backed attack against the Hashemite crown.
The planned attacks raise a number of questions, all assuming Jordan is telling the truth.
- Would Hamas have claimed responsibility for the attack? In the Jamal al-Aql case (PDF), a Hamas-trained terrorist was to attack Jewish targets in Canada and the United States and give al-Qaeda credit for the attacks.
- With Hamas trying - not very hard, but trying - to gain Western backing, and with some success, what would prompt them to risk losing that success? Jihad for hire? Is Hamas's financial situaion that serious?
- Were the planned attacks designed to coincide with the attacks elsewhere? There were three serious attacks today in Egypt and Gaza. PA police thwarted an assault on the Karni crossing, minutes before two peacekeepers were wounded in a suicide car bombing against their base in northern Sinai. Finally, there was an attack against a police checkpoint in the Nile Delta - details still coming in on that one. The day before the Dahab bombings, a new Osama tape was released, and yesterday a new Zarqawi video came out.
Once again we are blessed by the stupidity of our enemies.
Hamas has been bought and paid for by Iran. Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran, AQ, Syria, IJ, all have the same goal and enemies standing in the way of that goal. My enemy’s enemy is my friend mentality applies big time.
Iran is under heavy pressure by the US/West. Iraq has fallen and is on the verge of going solidly into the western camp. If Iran can get away with checking the US/West power in the ME it will be a turning point from were the Muslims can retake their place as they see it annihilating the Joooo’ s in the process.
If Iran on the other hand is brought to kneel who will be left to challenge the US/West Syria, some loose terrorist groups Hamas, JI, Hezbollah, AQ bwahahahah. Syria doesn’t have the ability to survive an US/Western isolation of it. And all the terrorist groups Hamas, Hezbollah, JI, AQ will be hunted down like dogs in the street by US supported elements within the ME. Can Hezbollah with their aid cut off Syria near implosion starved down survive a US backed Lebanese government push to disarm them?
The WOT terror is coming to the turning point. We can either go full tilt and crush our enemy fully or we can back up and let them prepare for their counter offensive on US. Iran thinks we have run out of steam and the LLL’s are doing all they can at home to ensure that reality. I pray we can draw up the energy for the final push Iran must be brought to kneel. With no major nations to threaten we can support and expand our allies at arms distance with money, arms, maybe even some SOF or light strikes
We are at the Hedgerows. Do we lean forward break out and push across the Rhine into Germany (the Germans (radical islamist) will fight to the last knowing its do or die for them) or will we sit on the verge of victory scared of the sacrifices needed for such as our enemy prepares rebuilds recompiles for the counter offensive sure to come that will push US out of theater?
Its time we win or lose this war in the next year or so. When Iran gets nukes its over we will be on defensive driven backwards until the Iranians hit US hard enough to result in the only option available to US to be used full alt nuclear strike across Iran and her allies (it will be either US or Israel that does it depends on who Iran decides to take on first).
The Pali economic model has always been that of a mercenary "army".
Hamas is just more open about it. They have given up the double talk.
That is amazing. You should see this site: www.saneworks.us.
Colt,
I also would have added a fourth possibility that the check from Iran for Hamas required the taking down of an ostensible US ally in the Jordanian regime.