Abstract: | The US — Jordan relations, both during and after the Cold War, can be described as
close, based on the pursuit of common goals and mutual respect. Although the United States
of America and the Kingdom of Jordan have never concluded a formal treaty with each other,
they cooperated on many levels, in the Middle‑Eastern
region and internationally, both during
the second half of the 20th century and in the first two decades of the 21st century. Despite the
complex geopolitical situation in the Middle East, re‑occurring
threats and challenges that may
have weakened the bilateral relations between the two states, the informal alliance between the
US and Jordan have survived, which is indicative of the importance of these relations and the
strength of the partnership. The place and role of Amman in the foreign policy of Washington
have many aspects and dimensions. One can observe certain evolution of the position that
consecutive American governments attributed to Jordan depending on conditions that have
been both extra‑regional
(the Cold War rivalry between the US and the Soviet Union) and
intra‑regional
(the three Gulf Wars, the Middle‑Eastern
peace process). It is also important to
emphasize that after the collapse of the Eastern Bloc, the mutual relations have gained a different,
more strategic dimension. Hence, it can be argued that Jordan’s importance in the US
foreign policy has only reached its pinnacle during the post‑Cold
War era.
The present article seeks to pinpoint the place and role of the Kingdom of Jordan in the US
policy towards the Middle East after the Cold War and to define the character of the relationship
between the two states. Its main goal is to identify and describe both positive and negative
factors determining the US — Jordan relations. The article will also attempt to answer the
questions about the extent to which the Arab Spring has influenced the shape of the mutual
links between Washington and Amman. |