Why is Jordan shifting its Syria strategy?
Jordan has joined the Astana process and is signaling a change in its position toward Damascus.
There are strong signals coming from Amman that Jordan is calibrating its strategy on Syria in light of recent political and military developments. At the heart of this shift lies Jordan’s readiness to chart a more independent course in dealing with the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, using King Abdullah II’s good working relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin to secure a cease-fire in southern Syria, initiate reconciliation efforts between the regime and moderate rebel groups and tribal leaders in the south, and focus military efforts on fighting the Islamic State (IS) and Jabhat Fatah al-Sham (formerly Jabhat al-Nusra) in the Syrian Badia.
Before heading to Washington Feb. 2 on a working visit that culminated in a meeting with US President Donald Trump, Abdullah stopped in Moscow Jan. 25 to discuss the situation in Syria with Putin, Jordan’s role in fighting terrorism and the political process on Syria that was launched in the Kazakh capital of Astana on Jan. 15. The king also brought up the situation in southern Syria, whose stability is directly linked to Jordan’s national security.
