good article explaining important of Tower 22
by DBCooper (2024-01-29 11:09:36)

In reply to: No one has asked, what are we doing out there?  posted by BeijingIrish

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Overlooking a refugee camp housing 15,000 people in northern Jordan, the
secret outpost of Tower 22 on the border with Iraq and Syria has long been
strategically important to the US.

Little is publicly known about the military base, but its location just 12 miles from the better known Al-Tanf US garrison in south-eastern Syria suggests it provides logistical support – as well as border security for Jordan.

Officially, the Jordanian government does not even acknowledge Tower 22’s
existence. Yet Al-Tanf has been a key US base in the fight against the remnants of Islamic State (IS) in the region and repeatedly targeted by militia groups. Until Sunday’s drone attack, Tower 22 had not warranted the same attention.

As well as being just across the border from Tower 22, Al-Tanf garrison is also located on a vital road in south-eastern Syria that can link Iranian-backed forces from Tehran all the way to southern Lebanon – and Israel’s doorstep.

Now, the US base – which some claim holds a signals intelligence facility –
enables troops to disrupt what could otherwise be an uncontested land bridge linking Iran to the eastern Mediterranean.

Around 350 US Army and Air Force troops are thought to be stationed at Tower 22 – specializing in engineering, aviation, security and logistics – but it is unclear what type of weapons are kept there or the strength of its defenses.





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