Jordan strikes back at Islamic State
Attacks carried out ‘in loyalty to our martyr hero’
King Abdullah visits father of pilot burned alive, vows justice.
AMMAN, Jordan — Jordanian F-16 warplanes struck Islamic State targets Thursday in retaliation for the gruesome slaying of a military pilot, officials said, signaling an apparent escalation of the kingdom’s role in the U.S.-led coalition against the militant group.
“The eagles of the royal air force executed several strikes against the lairs of the terrorist Daesh organization,” state TV reported, referring to the militant group by its Arabic acronym.
In a statement, the Jordanian army said that “tens” of air force planes attacked various Islamic State targets, including training centers and weapons and ammunition depots. The airstrikes were conducted “in loyalty to our martyr hero,” the statement said, referring to the slain Jordanian pilot, Lt. Muath al-Kaseasbeh. All of the aircraft returned safely to Jordan, it said.
Jordan is a member of the U.S.-led coalition that officials say has conducted more than 2,000 airstrikes on Islamic State positions in Iraq and Syria since August. The coalition Thursday reported three airstrikes in Syria and nine in Iraq.
The strikes came two days after a video was released showing the brutal slaying of al-Kaseasbeh, 26, who was taken prisoner by Islamic State when his plane crashed in December
Jordanians carry photos of slain pilot Lt. Muath al-Kaseasbeh in Amman, the capital, while protesting Islamic State. in militant-controlled northern Syria. The pilot, a national hero in Jordan since his capture, was shown in the video being burned alive in a cage last month. He was on a mission as part of the U.S.-led bombing campaign when he was captured.
Jordanians have reacted with shock and revulsion to al-Kaseasbeh’s slaying, with King Abdullah II promising harsh retribution.
Amman announced the executions Wednesday of two militants long held on death row. Thursday’s reported attack would appear to mark the next stage of Jordan’s vow to strike back forcefully against Islamic State, an al-Qaida breakaway group that controls territory in neighboring Syria and Iraq.
On Thursday, state television reported that the fighter jets that bombed the Islamic State targets flew over the Jordanian capital and the southern city of Karak, home to al-Kaseasbeh’s influential tribe.
Abdullah visited Karak on Thursday, paying his respects to the tribe.
Speaking to al-Kaseasbeh’s father and accompanied by a coterie of highranking government officials, Abdullah declared that Muath al-Kaseasbeh’s name would remain printed with pride “in the book of the nation and the hearts of its sons.” He also emphasized that “the war on terror is ongoing” in defense of the Muslim religion as well as Jordan and its people.
The father, Safi al-Kaseasbeh, has called on Jordan to “annihilate” Islamic State, and other family members also demanded vengeance. The father expressed satisfaction with the airstrikes against the militant group.
“God willing, we will end their existence in Syria,” he told reporters.
But the strategy can also be a dangerous one for Jordan, which is home to many Islamic militants, including supporters of Islamic State and al-Qaida. In addition, the kingdom is a gateway for many militants headed to Syria to join groups fighting there.
Besides Jordan, three other Arab nations — Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates — have participated in the attacks on Islamic State in Syria, U.S. officials say. UAE pulled out in December after the Jordanian pilot was captured, apparently out of concern about the safety of downed air crews.
Authority for U.S. force
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is poised in coming days to ask Congress for new authority to use U.S. military force against Islamic State militants, the White House said Thursday. But the House speaker warned it won’t be easy to pass the measure and that it will be up to Obama to rally support from lawmakers and the public.
“His actions are going to be an important part of trying for us to get the votes to actually pass an authorization,” House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, said Thursday. “This is not going to be an easy lift.”
White House spokesman Josh Earnest said the administration is dedicated to getting a new authorization with support from Republicans and Democrats. But Obama has argued new authorization isn’t legally necessary and has been ordering airstrikes on militant strongholds in Iraq and Syria for months.
“The president believes it sends a very powerful signal to the American people, to our allies and even to our enemies that the United States of America is united behind this strategy to degrade and ultimately destroy ISIL,” Earnest said, using an acronym for Islamic State.
Earnest declined to discuss specific provisions being discussed, such as how long the authorization will last and whether it will allow for the possibility of ground troops.