Are Turkey, Saudi Arabia Pressuring Jordan on a Terror Blacklist?

[Jesus Malverde]

Jordan's task of overseeing the development of a list of organizations fighting in Syria that are actually terrorist groups is a job fraught with potential headaches for the kingdom. The assignment by the International Syria Support Group is part of efforts to launch negotiations between the Syrian regime and the so-called moderate opposition early next year. Announced by Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov Nov. 15, the move is also tied to Article 6 of the support group's Oct. 30 Vienna Communique, which states, "Daesh [Islamic State, IS], and other terrorist groups, as designated by the UN Security Council, and further, as agreed by the participants, must be defeated."

The Jordan Times quoted Minister of State for Media Affairs and Communications Mohammad Momani as saying, "Selecting Jordan for this task illustrates the international community's recognition of Jordan's capabilities and the efficiency of its military and security apparatuses." Mohammad Abu Rumman, an expert on Islamist groups, said, however, the assignment might put Amman in a bind, given its special relations with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries, including the United Arab Emirates, its intelligence contacts with the United States and Europe, and its particular knowledge of the groups in Syria, including their financers and other supporters. In addition to US financial and military assistance, it relies on grants from Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Kuwait.

Abu Rumman told Al-Monitor, "This is a complicated issue that could compromise Jordan since adding more groups to the list will provoke their backers and threaten the kingdom's stability." The support group has already agreed to include IS and Jabhat al-Nusra on the list. Among the groups that could possibly be added are Ahrar al-Sham, al-Sham Front and Jaish al-Fatah (Army of Conquest).

"Some of these Islamist groups fall in a gray area. Some will argue that they are radical, while others will claim they are moderate," said Abu Rumman. This, he added, is part of the challenge facing Jordan. The survey group's designations could affect alliances among the anti-regime groups — for instance, Jaish al-Fatah's affiliation with the already designated Jabhat al-Nusra — and weaken the opposition on the ground, especially if foreign backers stop financing some of them, Abu Rumman noted.

http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2015/11/30/are-turkey-saudi-arabia-pressuring-jordan-on-a-terror-blacklist

[leveymg]

1. This is the political side of KSA/GCC financing of terrorism

The USG is also aware of who writes the checks for terrorists, but that's treated as a state secret in Washington because we too are being greenmailed by the Saudis.

Oil and antiquities have never been more than 50 percent of IS revenues. The rest, as the JCS stated in February, comes from "donations, a lot of donations."

[Jesus Malverde]

2. Yep, even in congress.

[leveymg]

3. Gen Dempsey: "Our major Arab allies fund" ISIL

That seems to have gone right past the Senator.

[Jesus Malverde]

4. No it didn't he saw the cans of worms he opened

and quickly changed the subject.

"Lets not taint the middle east". These guys all know it's a show, clearly the military is pissed at the pretending.

Our war on terror is cover for regime change and plausible deniability to actions by the west.

[leveymg]

5. That's what I meant to say but couldn't complete my thought.

Thanks!

[Jesus Malverde]

6. No worries.

Always appreciate your posts. Even if we disagree on some issues.

[leveymg]

7. I don't think we disagree much. Thank you for posting this.

When was that testimony?

[Jesus Malverde]

8. Back in september 2014

http://www.c-span.org/video/?c4509231/general-dempsey-acknowledges-us-arab-allies-funding-isis