Jordanian Parliament Backs Baghdad

The Parliament of Jordan on Friday backed Iraq in the Persian Gulf War and branded the United States a “Great Satan” set on dominating the Arab and Muslim world.

“Our people hold America fully responsible for every drop of blood that is shed in this battle,” the lower house said in a tough statement urging all Muslim members of the U.S.-led alliance against Iraq to withdraw from its ranks.

“God will decree victory for the Iraqi people and humiliation for all enemies of God and humanity. Tell those infidels, ‘You will be overcome and cast into the furnace of hell,’ ” said the 80-seat chamber.

The statement went further than King Hussein’s government, which Thursday condemned the allied air assault to force Iraqi troops from Kuwait as brutal aggression but did not directly express support for Baghdad.

“We hail Iraq’s position not to go along with American demands and ask it to play its historic role in resisting the Great Satan who is threatening every Islamic country and belief,” the lower house statement said.

It also called on Arab and Muslim nations “to strike at American interests and the interests of those nations participating in the aggression against Iraq.”

The resolution was not specific about what it meant by “American interests,” but that is the standard phrase used in the Arab world for anything connected to the United States--embassies, institutions, military targets and businesses.

Hussein himself has remained silent about Friday’s Iraqi missile strike on Israel, reflecting what Jordanian analysts say is care not to become embroiled in any conflict between Jordan’s two mighty neighbors.

Foreign Minister Taher Masri, who is a member of Parliament but left before the vote, said: “We’re not supposed to do this. I don’t think it is a wise resolution.”

Support for Iraq runs high in Jordan, where about half the people are of Palestinian origin. It was echoed in Parliament, where the fundamentalist Muslim Brotherhood is the largest single bloc.