Iraq, Jordan Cooperate on Defense

By Michael Collins Dunn

Jordan and Iraq, which have cooperated on defense matters since early in the Iran-Iraq war, moved closer towards defense integration with the announcement that the two states are creating a joint air squadron. The announcement was accompanied by statements on the need for Arab solidarity at a time of increased Soviet immigration into Israel. Israeli concerns about the potential creation of an "eastern front" appear unjustified, the new squadron being at best a symbolic step towards increasing military cooperation between the two close allies.

In fact, the joint air squadron is no threat to any of the countries' neighbors, Israeli or otherwise. Despite some overenthusiastic press reports, the joint squadron will basically allow Jordanian pilots additional training time, apparently to be paid for by Iraq.

The joint training squadron will reportedly be based inside Iraq. In recent months, Israel has protested alleged Iraqi reconnaissance flights along the Jordanian-Israeli border, which it said allowed the Iraqi Air Force to look deep into Israel. (Jordan denied that Iraqi aircraft had been routinely flying along the border, claiming that there were only occasional joint operations. Israel now says that the flights have stopped.)

The squadron will probably consist of French Mirage F-1s, which both Jordan and Iraq now operate. While Jordan has ordered that most modern French fighter, the Mirage 2000, it has not yet added the aircraft to its inventory. Iraq is still negotiating to buy the 2000. In any case, it would not likely be dedicated to a joint training squadron.

Despite reports in the Israeli press that Israel had sent a message to Jordan via the US that it had "grave" reservations about any creation of an "eastern front," Israeli spokesmen also made clear that the joint training squadron would not represent a real threat. In addition, press reports have suggested that Jordan and Iraq are discussing creation of a joint armored corps, to be stationed along their common border.

Jordanian-Iraqi military cooperation is now taking place within the framework of the year-old Arab Cooperation Council (ACC), which also includes Egyptian-Iraqi defense industrial cooperation. The ACC consists of Egypt, Iraq, Jordan and the Yemen Arab Republic (North Yemen).

During the Iran-Iraq war, Jordan provided extensive logistical assistance to Iraq, allowing its port of Aqaba to be used for the transportation of military supplies to Iraq overland, since Iraqi ports on the Gulf were closed. Iraq in turn provided Jordan with captured British equipment from Iran, which was compatible with the Jordanian, but not Iraqi, armed forces' inventories.

Michael Collins Dunn, Ph.D., is senior analyst of The International Estimate, Inc., a Washington consultancy, and Middle East editor of its newsletter, The Estimate.