AMMAN, Jordan– Last week’s suicide bombing in Afghanistan that killed seven CIA operatives and one Jordanian intelligence officer has exposed the partnership between Jordanian and American intelligence sources.

Despite Jordan’s involvement in the Iraq and Afghanistan operations since 2001, they have worked hard to keep their involvement secret due to the high unpopularity of both wars in the Arab world.  However, with last week’s bombing in which a distant relative of Jordan’s King Abdullah II was killed, the intelligence partnership between the two countries has been forced into the open.

In such conflicts, the CIA has a long history of turning to local intelligence agencies for their ability to provide human resources.  Most notably, in 2006, Jordan’s intelligence service, the General Intelligence Directorate (GID), provided the U.S. military with crucial intelligence that led to the airstrike which killed Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the Jordanian born leader of al Qaeda in Iraq.

Yet, despite the intelligence collaboration, the GID has a fearsome reputation in the Arab world.  They have been accused of human rights abuses as well as cooperation with the CIA’s extraordinary rendition of al Qaeda suspects.

In light of the suicide attack last week, Jordan’s minister of foreign affairs, Naser Judeh, not only acknowledged his country’s presence in the Afghanistan war, but pledged that such a role was going to expand.

In comments to Secretary of State Clinton last week in Washington, Judeh said that “our presence in Afghanistan today is two-fold: number one, to combat terrorism and the root causes of terrorism, but also to help out in the humanitarian effort that is needed there.”  He further commented that “our presence in Afghanistan will be enhanced and increased in the coming phase. This is something that is ongoing.”

With the increased presence, there are fears among those in Jordan.  A senior official, who specializes in Islamic movements, said the announcement is expected to heat up Jordan’s war with al Qaeda.  As the analyst noted, “it will widen the war with al Qaeda where Jordan was formerly not a priority target.”

For more information, please see:

The National- Jordan Reveals Growing Role in Afghan War– 9 January 2010

Christian Science Monitor- CIA Killings in Afghanistan Spotlight Jordan as Key U.S. Intelligence Partner– 6 January 2010

BBC News- Afghanistan CIA Killings a Major Blow to U.S. and Jordan– 5 January 2010