The middle east is getting armed to the teeth.

Good news for the arms industry, apparently.

According to a new report published by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, arms transfer rose by 38% in the Middle East between 2004-2008, compared to 1999-2003. The UAE rose to the fifth largest arms importer globally, while Iraq, and Israel are amongst the biggest importers of arms in the region during this period.

• During the period 2004–2008 the UAE was the largest recipient of major conventional weapons in the region and the third largest in the world. Imports in this period included around 80 F-16E combat aircraft from the USA and around 50 Mirage-2000-9 combat aircraft from France. The UAE placed a number of significant orders in 2008 and looks set to remain a significant importer in the coming years.

• During the period 2004–2008 Iraq was the world’s 28th largest recipient of major conventional weapons, with 40 per cent of its imports coming from the USA. In 2008 Iraq ordered 140 M1A1 tanks from the USA and announced plans to obtain advanced combat aircraft and additional armoured vehicles.

• Israel’s arms imports in 2004–2008 consisted primarily of 102 F-16I combat aircraft and related air-to-air and air-to-surface weapons. The vast majority of weapon systems ordered by or transferred to Israel during this period came from the USA. Israel also imported components for its weapon systems from a variety of countries, including EU members.

According to SIPRI, the Middle East's share of total global transfers of major conventional weapons currently stands at 18%, rising from 15% during the previous study period. The UAE's share stood at 34%, Israel's at 22% and Egypt at 14%. The institutes explains that despite all speculations about Iran's arms import plans, "it accounted only for 5% of total imports in the region," making it the 27th largest importer globally.

The report does not reflect on another development in the Middle East: Nations are starting to develop their own weapons themselves, well, apart from Israel which is already amongs the top 10 producers, globally.

Jordan's King Abdullah II Design and Development Bureau for example, recently finished developing a Russian anti-tank grenade launcher , and relaunched it under the name Hashim RPG-32. According to CNN Arabic, the new launcher is considered a national security threat due to its ability to destroy any type of tanks. RPG's were used by Hezbollah during the 2006 one month war with Israel, and caused serious damage to Israeli tanks. (Original post by Yugi). It is unclear whether the weapon will be produced for exports or for local use. It is worthwhile to note that Jordan recently finalised a partnership deal with the NATO, as I blogged here.

At the end SIPRI warned that such developments are very dangerous given the conflict potential in the region, and especially at a time when the need for collective solutions is extremely important.

Facts and figures on Jordan's participation in ISAF/NATO in Afghanistan

Further research into the nature of Jordan's participation with the ISAF/NATO in Afghanistan revealed that Jordan helped military forces operating in Afghanistan and Iraq by providing medical support, a mine clearing team, police and military training and equipment and logistical support.

According to the US Department of Defense website:

"We have two hospitals, one in Iraq and one in Afghanistan," Royal Jordanian Air Force Col. Nart Alkhas said. A 50-bed Jordanian military hospital located in Masar-e Sharif, Afghanistan, cares for more than 650 patients a day, providing critical health care for thousands of Afghans who suffered neglect at the hands of the Taliban regime. More than 500,000 patients have been treated at the Jordanian military hospital in Afghanistan. Many of the patients are women, who were forced into a subservient role and feared to leave their homes until coalition forces entered Afghanistan in 2001.

In Iraq, a second Jordanian military hospital provides much-needed health services to Iraqis and serves as an ad hoc trauma center, treating patients wounded in terrorist attacks and moving them to Jordan or other locations "if they are in bad condition," Alkhas said. More than 4 million people have been treated in Jordan's military hospital in Iraq, and Jordanian military general surgeons have performed 1,638 surgeries, Alkhas said.

Jordan has committed nearly 600 health care practitioners to the medical assistance missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. They consist of medical personnel and Jordanian special forces, who protect the hospital staff, Alkhas said.

Jordanians have donated 250 armored personnel carriers to the Iraqi Ministry of Defense. The vehicles consisted of 50 Ukrainian-built BTR-94 armored personnel carriers, 100 British Spartans, and 100 American-made M113A1 armored personnel carriers, coalition officials said. Jordan also donated two C-130B Hercules transport aircraft to the Iraqi air force, as well as 16 UH-1H utility helicopters.

According to the US Department of Defense, the US military provides round the clock logistical support to the Jordanian operation in Afghanistan so Jordanians can focus on providing medical support.

However, there are also confirmed reports that Jordan did in fact help logistically in "Operation enduring freedom," by allowing US forces to use its bases and facilities. This document from the Library of Congress provides a detailed background to this participation.

In 2002, for example, Jordan was negotiating an agreement with the US " to allow US forces use this Jordan to defend Israel from Iraqi missiles." In 1996, more than 1200 US Military personnel established a camp in Azraq in the east of Jordan. Among a dozen other Arab ports, the Aqaba port in south Jordan was used by the US Navy to support operations in the Middle East, by coordinating fuel-related activities.

Among seven other Arab nations, Jordan participates in partnership dialogues with the NATO, it recently finalised a 2 year partnership agreement.

As to why the US supports Jordan as an ally, apart from its geographical proximity and its "expertise" factor, this document from the Library of Congress shows that the US considers the "stability of the regime and succession in Jordan" as a US interest.

The original “East Bank” Jordanians, through probably no longer a majority in Jordan, remain predominant in the country’s political and military establishments and form the bedrock of support for the Jordanian monarchy. Palestinians, who comprise an estimated 55% to 70% of the population, in many cases tend to regard their stay in Jordan as temporary, and some are at most lukewarm in their support for the Jordanian regime.

No official details were to be found yet of any other military cooperation between the US and Jordan. But it is no secret that the intelligence cooperation between Jordan and its allies is ripe.

Until more updated information surfaces, I am done with this research, which I did out of personal interest after finding a leaked NATO document mentioning that Jordan wanted to keep its participation at the ISAF as a "secret." Apparently, it was all over the internet before it got to me.

I am being asked why am I publishing this information, when discussing security matters in Jordan is considered a "taboo" and can get one in trouble. What I am doing is no more than copying and pasting information from official and responsible sources, out of my interest as an independent journalist in fostering a culture of transparency and accountability.

No honor in killing!

Jordanian bloggers have been recharging against the so called honor killings . Every year, an average of twenty women are killed on suspicion of "adultery" in mostly-conservative Jordan. The murderers are their husbands or relatives who do so to reclaim the "family honor." More often than not, the victims turn out to be sexually inactive at the time of the murder. Many mistake this for being part of Islamic practice. The punishment for "adultery" in Sharia law is by whipping convicts, not killing them, provided that four witnesses caught them "red handed."

Real stories & reflections in my round up on Global Voices Online.

Jordan becomes a full NATO partner

Former NATO Secretary General, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer in Amman, Jordan 2005. Full speech. NATO appointed Danish PM Anders Fogh Rasmussen as the new Secretary General. He was at the center of defending Denmark during the so-called "Muhammad Cartoon Crisis."

Jordan finalized its Individual Cooperation Program (ICP) with the NATO, becoming a full partner with the north Atlantic alliance. The announcement came on April 1, 2009, at the NATO Annual Summit meeting in Strasbourg, France.

This ICP will contribute to the promotion of political and military ties between the Euro-Atlantic and the Mediterranean regions. Through enhanced security cooperation between NATO and its MD partner Jordan, it will reinforce Mediterranean regional security and stability.

It also helps framing NATO-Jordan political and military cooperation in a more strategic and prospective way. Jordan's decision to finalize the Individual Cooperation Program with NATO represents a significant step forward in its cooperation with the Atlantic Alliance.

This bilateral accord provides that Jordan and NATO cooperate on a wide range of categories such as "political and security issues; defense, security and military issues; public information; science and environment; civil emergency planning; and administrative, protective security and resource issues." Egypt was the first Arab nation to finalize its partnership agreement, Jordan is second.

Jordan started its dialouge with NATO back in the late King Hussains time, in 1995, one year after signing the Peace Treaty with Israel. The cooperation stepped up its pace when King Abdullah II, Chief of the Jordanian Armed Forces, was enthroned 10 years ago.

Following up on my recent blog posts and the buzz it created about Jordan's "not-so-secret" involvement with the NATO-ISAF operations in Afghanistan, I had an exchange with one of my ex-editors at The Jordan Times. He pointed me to the fact that Jordan announced it would send troops to Afghanistan in 2001 for "peace-keeping". The editor added that Jordanian journalists were flewn to Mazar-i-Sherif in Afghanistan to see in their own eyes a Jordanian military clinic in the war zone.

However, contrary to other "peace keeping" missions that Jordan was/is involved with, i.e. Croatia, Bosnia Herzogvania, Sierra Leone and East Timor, Afghanistan is still in a state of conventional war. Jordan's participation in the ISAF, as shown in a leaked NATO document, means it is not merely operating a "clinic". In 2007, the Herald Tribune reported that more than 90 Jordanian security personnel were deployed in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan, dubbed by the NATO as its largest and most important land operation outside Europe, is one frontline of the "global war on terrorism." Although both the UK and the US have refrained from using this term, the land operation is now expanding into Pakistan, while the intelligence action of the conflict continues to take shape on a global scale.

Jordan has participated significantly in the intellgentiance part and it paid a dear price, when Al Qaeda in Iraq killed more than 60 Jordanians in a 2005 bombing in Amman. Later on, Jordanian-US intelligence cooperation led to terminating almost all Al Qaeda operatives in Iraq.

The agreement between Jordan and NATO is yet another reminder that it is time Jordanians are fully informed about the global role of their nation and its global alliances. It will be good for everybody's business and would create more trust between citizens and the government.

According to the Acting Director of the Stockholm Institute for Peace Research, global opposition to the operation in Afghanistan is minimal, compared to other operations such as Iraq. More information about media and the global war on terrorism here, and to put things in context, here's some background from my own exchanges with Professor Noam Chomsky.

I left more comments on 7iber, where a "retired officer" replied: "Rami is a drummer and a veteran politician, I don't get why he thinks he's better than anyone else". So, to the "officers" dissecting my blog, I will save you the benefit of doubt: I am an independent journalist, I don't work for anyone but myself. There you go, a lot easier than having to go through 4 years of blog posts (as seen here).