Jordan’s Strategic Alliance With the West to Protect the Hashemite Regime

Abstract

Jordan’s strategic alliance with the Western countries was established at the same time as the establishment of the state. It was a survival tool for the Hashemite regime which was perceived in the West and the Middle East in particular as a weak and vulnerable regime. The internal and external threats, as well as the coup attempts, were many and therefore the regime had to create a defense alliance with a Western power. Naturally, Britain was the first security support for the Hashemite regime and as its position in the Middle East declined at the end of the 1950s, the United States replaced Britain and became the Western power that protected the Hashemite regime. This was due to its pro-Western policy. Jordan receives the largest foreign aid from America (after Israel), is involved in security projects, participates in training with the American army and with Western countries, and is a partner with them in the fight against global terrorism. However, it should be mentioned that Israel also took a significant part in the defense of the Hashemite regime and was involved, officially and unofficially, in a number of operations starting in the 1950s. At that time, Israel’s perception of security took shape, which saw the existence of the Hashemite regime in Jordan as an Israeli interest, and therefore did everything possible to prevent its fall.