Jordan Security

   Spending 5 days here has made me aware of what a corner Jordan is in . It has Syria on its north border,  Iraq on its west with Saudi Arabia flanking its southern side. Israel lies between its borders and the Mediterranean. Its surrounded by noisy  neighbors, the quiet house in a noisy neighborhood. We found the Jordanian people very friendly and open to us Americans. While this troubled part of the world is often ignored by us, it desperately needs our compassion and help. There are no easy answers but we must keep an open mind to this region. 

    On a daily basis, the Jordanian people are subject to situations we Americans would find intolerable. We were constantly surrounded by machine gun totting guards and soldiers, they were always polite.  Looming security towers watched over Jerash. Soldiers patrolled Petra, we were stopped at several roadside check points , the guards eyeing our car. At one point on the Desert Highway coming back from Petra, I was scanning the highway ahead as we drove st 70 MPH. I spotted  group of SUVs pulled off the side up ahead. A soldier calmly walked out to the center line ( in traffic) and pointed at our car  to pull over. He wore a sub machine gun slung over his shoulder. Our driver hit the brakes and pulled over. A grim soldier walked up to our car and eyed us, after a few seconds, he waved us on...... 

    When entering the Amman International Airport, a military checkpoint stops every car. Military trucks with mounted machine guns flanked the checkpoint,  a machinegun totting soldier opened car doors eying passengers while another searched  the trunk. 

   Instead of TSA flunkies like we have doing internal airport security, Jordan has dozens of black suited men dead serious about checking passengers and baggage before boarding. They are clearly on high alert and dedicated to stopping the terrorists. 

   Rather than be intimidated by the layers of security here in Jordan, I found it comforting  This is the front lines in the battle against ISIS, a grim reality here.......,, we are isolated and spoiled in America. So far.........