Jordanian warplanes bombed Islamic State targets on Thursday Feb. 5th, state TV said, after the country’s King vowed to wage a “harsh” war against the militants who control large areas of neighboring Syria and Iraq. Jordan is part of a U.S.-led military coalition that has bombed IS targets in both countries since last fall, but until now Jordanian warplanes are only known to have carried out raids in Syria.
King Abdullah II pledged to step up the fight against the IS group after the militants burned a captive Jordanian pilot in a cage and released a video of the killing earlier in the week. The images have sent waves of anger across the region. Al-Kaseasbeh told the assembled mourners that the planes had returned from strikes over Raqqa, the “de facto” capital of the militants’ self-declared caliphate. His son had been captured near Raqqa when his F-16 fighter plane went down in December.
Earlier this week, Islamic State displayed the video of the killing of the pilot on outdoor screens in Raqqa, to chants of “God is Great” from some in the audience, according to another video posted by the militants.
On Wednesday, Abdullah warned that Jordan’s response “will be harsh because this terrorist organization is not only fighting us, but also fighting Islam and its pure values.” He pledged to hit the militants “hard in the very center of their strongholds.” In Washington, leading members of Congress have called for increased U.S. military assistance to the kingdom. Currently, the United States is providing Jordan with $1 billion annually in economic and military assistance.
I would like to know where Saudi Arabia stands on this issue. Why is the U.S. leading the way all the time? It is understandable that we must lead the fight against terrorism so that we don’t become victims but I think the world would be much stronger in the fight against terrorism if neighboring countries of terrorist havens like Turkey and Saudi Arabia stood up alongside places like Jordan.
This latest act of pure brutality from ISIS has motivated Jordan to push back against these savages who kill, take, and destroy in the name of God. I hope this event sparks more of a reaction from other countries in the middle east to fight back and destroy this evil force before it spreads even more destruction and fear among the region.