CANADA IN JORDAN MILITARY EXERCISE

Latest bid to help ally amid fears of Syria spillover

O T TAWA • Canada is one of 19 countries participating in a major military exercise in Jordan that is going ahead amid reports government forces in neighbouring Syria are on the verge of a breakthrough against rebel forces.

Jordanian and U.S. officials who are leading Eager Lion 13 say the exercise has nothing to do with events in Syria, where two years of fighting has killed about 80,000 people.

But Canada’s participation is only the latest instance over the past year of this country’s efforts to bolster the Jordanian military’s strength and capabilities in case the Syrian war explodes into a regional conflict.

This is the second iteration of Eager Lion, which will run June 9-20 and involves 8,000 soldiers from 19 Arab and Western countries.

The foreign contingent includes 4,500 U.S. soldiers who have arrived with fighter aircraft, amphibious assault craft and Patriot missile systems.

The Department of National Defence did not respond to questions about how many troops or what type of equipment Canada has sent, nor did it say what role the Canadian Forces is playing.

However, Canada has contr ibuted $5-million for armoured vehicles and other equipment for the Jordanian Armed Forces, and $4.75-million to help Jordanian military and civilian authorities prepare for a chemical or biological attack.

There were also reports last year Canada’s Foreign Affairs and Defence departments were drawing up plans to deploy a special forces unit specializing in hazardous material and a Foreign Affairs disaster response team in the event of a chemical or biological attack.

The assumption at the time was those teams would respond if there was an attack inside Syria, but it would be much more likely they would be deployed if an attack took place inside Jordan or another friendly country neighbouring Syria.