What does NATO's planned Jordan office mean for the region?

The angry comments began as soon as the announcement was made.

NATO said at its summit in Washington last week that Jordan would host its first liaison office in the Middle East.

"The opening of a NATO Liaison Office in Amman is a natural progression of the longstanding relationship between NATO and Jordan," a press release said. It also acknowledged Jordan "as a beacon of stability in both regional and global contexts."

Others didn't see things in such a positive light.

"Betrayal runs in their veins," one social media user based in Algeria wrote on Facebook under a news article about the new NATO office. "How do you explain shaking the hand of those who kill your brothers everywhere?"

"Jordan has been sold without a shot fired," added another user, also from Algeria.

"Where are the free people of Jordan? Do they agree with this?" a commentator from Tunisia scolded.

The idea of the NATO office also spawned a number of conspiracy theories. Some speculated that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization must now want to be actively involved in conflicts in Gaza or Lebanon on behalf of Israel.

This is not the first time in recent months that Jordan has been the target of this kind of criticism. In April, after Iran launched drones and missiles at Israel, the country played a significant role in fending off the attack.

Jordan said it was only protecting its own airspace, but this........

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