DANGERS IN AMMAN Aircraft ready to move Americans

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32406, 19 September 1970, Page 17

DANGERS IN AMMAN Aircraft ready to move Americans

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter —Copyright) WASHINGTON, September 18. Six giant United States Air Force transport aircraft stood ready in Turkey today for possible moving of Americans from battle-torn Jordan as officials in Washington kept a round-the-clock check on the situation. Concern for the safety of United States citizens mounted amid reports that street clashes in Amman yesterday had left the United States Embassy damaged, and that employees were huddled in interior rooms. Several Americans elsewhere in the country ‘were understood to have been injured in the fighting.

Officials left open the possibility of United States military intervention, but diplomatic observers considered this unlikely unless there was a direct threat to the lives of more than 400 Americans now in Jordan.

They were deeply concerned over the safety of Americans, particularly the 38 among the 54 hijacked hostages held by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (P.F.L.P.) There were fears that the hostages might become! pawns in the struggle between King Hussein’s forces.

and the guerrilas. Last June : during fighting between the guerrillas and the Army ■ there were unconfirmed re- ■ ports that Americans detained by guerrillas in Amman hotels were being held to prevent Jordanian troops from attacking their bases. Force alerted

The United States 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, was placed on alert at that time, when the fighting was far (more confined than the raging battles which shook the Jordanian capital yesterday. The dispatch last Wednesday of six huge Cl3o planes to Turkey was related to the possible moving of the hijacked hostages. But with the number of hostages reduced to 54 now, the maintenance of such a large airlift capacity in the area was clearly because of the possibility of a more general moving of Americans. The Secretary of Defence (Mr Melvin Laird) said yes-, terday the Cl3os at Adana might be used to move Americans from battle areas and reaffirmed that units of the United States Sixth Fleet

had moved close to the battle zone. The department spokesman. Mr Robert McCloskey, in discussing the possibility of United States military intervention said that there were no plans for such a move but added: “I am not going to get into statements of total self-denial.” Diplomatic observers said that the White House and State Department comments carried an implied threat of United States military action but that this step was considered extremely unlikely. . Mr McCloskey himself cited the danger that intervention might make a serious situation worse. Nixon reluctant Political observers also feel that President Nixon was extremely reluctant to become directly involved militarily anywhere in the Middle East because he wanted to exert every effort to put the American peace initiative back on the tracks. Israel itself has hinted at the possibility of intervening in Jordan if the guerrillas threaten to topple the relatively moderate regime of King Hussein.