Jordanian Rocket Attack Update

Strategy Page has more details about the Jordanian rocket attack that attempted to hit two US Navy ships while in port at Aqaba, Jordan.

In Jordan, there was a rare terrorist act, when three BM-21 122mm rockets were fired from a warehouse in the southern city of Aqaba. The Gulf of Aqaba is the northern tip of the Red Sea. It is here that the borders of Egypt, Israel, Jordan and Saudi Arabia are all close together, either touching or within view of one another. One rocket was aimed at an American amphibious assault ship docked at the port. That rocket missed the ship and hit a warehouse, killing one of the Jordanian soldiers guarding it. The other two rockets were aimed at Israel, which is about 16 kilometers away. These two rockets hit nothing of significance, one landing outside an airport, the other near a hospital. The 150 pound, 122mm Russian designed BM-21 rocket is nine feet long and has a range of 20 kilometers and a 45 pound warhead. Developed in the late 1930s by Russia, the 122mm rocket is normally fired in large numbers from many launchers at spread-out targets. That's because the rockets are unguided. Aim lots of them at a target and you'll hit something. Aim a few of them at something, and you usually won't, But the rockets are made by many countries, relatively easy to get, and favored by terrorists for attacks that terrorize, rather than actually do any damage.

Strategy Page goes on to argue that the attacks did little except bring the wrath of the Jordanian authorities down on the terrorists. So far, the Jordanians have recovered additional rockets and "and arrested at least six men, including Iraqis, Syrians, Egyptians and Jordanians."

And, UPI reports that the US is cautioning Americans traveling in Jordan. Oh, but that's not the interesting part of that article. This is:

Jordan's powerful 14 professional syndicates blamed the rocket attack on Israel and the United States because of Israel's "crimes in the blessed land," in reference to the Palestinian territories.

They said in a statement the presence of American military destroyers equipped with weapons was "not welcome by our people and is a provocation to the sentiments of our Jordanian masses."

The unions called on the Jordanian government not to allow American forces into Jordanian territories, echoing a similar demand made by the influential Islamic movement earlier in the day.

That's right. The terrorist attack was because the US supports Israel, despite this occurring concurrently with Israel's unilateral withdrawal from Gaza and four West Bank settlements. Once again, this should give lie to the fact that Israel has partners in peace in the Palestinians, let alone a group that seeks a peaceful coexistence with Israel. The Palestinians only have enablers who seek to extend the terror campaign against Israel until nothing remains in Israel.