Britain to send £2.4million worth of military gear to Jordan in bid to smash ISIS
BRITAIN could send military equipment worth £2.4million to Jordan in a bid to destroy Islamic State (ISIS).
Michael Fallon wants to send gear to Jordan to help it smash ISIS
Defence Secretary Michael Fallon is arguing the UK should give transport vehicles, body armour, communications gear and IT equipment to Jordan's armed forces.
He said the 'non-lethal' items will help develop the Middle Eastern country's Quick Reaction Force (QRF).
Michael Fallon wants to give Jordan military equipment
Conventional Jordanian forces lack the agility
Speaking in the House of Commons, Mr Fallon said: "Conventional Jordanian forces lack the agility, as well as the training, equipment and command structures, to allow them to counter emergent threats on their Syrian and Iraqi borders.
"The new quick reaction force, a British-led multinational initiative, is designed to address this by being able to deploy approximately 500 personnel at speed, to counter the Isil and extremist threat at Jordan's borders."
King Abdullah of Jordan was educated in the UK
The equipment package, which MPs can object to, is valued at £2,407,450.
Britain has strong historic links with Jordan.
The kingdom was originally a British protectorate called Transjordan.
After independence, three out of four of the country's kings have been educated in the UK and carried out military training at Sandhurst.
Vladimir Putin is taking the fight to ISIS
Putin talks ISIS and Syrian President Assad with Charlie Rose
The government's proposals come as ISIS in Syria was left reeling after a series of attacks by Russian bombers.
Last week, Russia wiped out 55 ISIS targets in the space of just 24 hours.
And Russian president Vladimir Putin has offered to share the coordinates of suspected Islamic State targets with Western forces.
However, Washington has rejected the information, Moscow said.