UAE Suspends Anti ISIS Air Strikes Citing Jordan Pilot’s Fate: Demands Fixing Of Lapses in Rescue Protocols by US Forces

The United Arab Emirates has reportedly suspended its participation in the U.S coalition's airstrikes against the Islamic State, after the extremist group captured a Jordanian pilot, whose jet crashed in Syria.

Now the pilot is no more with the Islamic State having released a video of his being burned alive. The video released on Tuesday had showed Lt. Muath Al-Kaseasbeh being burned alive in a cage. He was in ISIS captivity since late December and there were talks of a prisoner swap with Jordan in exchange of the airman. But that seemed to have failed.

This is the first time the group has murdered a member of the U.S.-led coalition under the Operation Inherent Resolve, reports Washington Times.

The incident has left the UAE enraged, which sees it as a failure of the rescue protocol by the U.S forces. Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan has even sought an explanation from Barbara Leaf, who is the new U.S. ambassador to his country, asking why the U.S. military was ill-equipped for rescuing pilots.

Enhance Rescue Protocol

Jordan was one of five Arab allies that was part of coalition conducting airstrikes over Syria since September. Others are Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE.

The UAE sees the real problem lying with the U.S. military trying to conduct its missions out of Kuwait, which is wedged between southern Iraq and the Persian Gulf. It wanted the sorties to be closer to the battleground in northern Iraq. But a senior U.S. military official told media that ISIS militants were able to capture the Jordanian pilot “within a few minutes,” and that left coalition forces no time to engage.

Now UAE wants to be convinced about safety assurances and is in in a mood to halt its presence in bomb runs. But Combined Joint Task Force still issues semi-daily updates showing UAE as one of the several nations conducting airstrikes in Syria.

Jordan Seeks Arms

Meanwhile, Fox News reported that UAE’s stand can be setback for the coalition. On the other hand, Jordan, even after the loss of its pilot, has vowed to ramp up airstrikes.

On Tuesday, the U.S. lawmakers met with King Abdullah II at Capitol Hill and the king asked for more military assistance. "In the short term, he needs help. He intends to push back against ISIS, but he needs more fuel. more bombs and more equipment," stated Rep. Mac Thornberry, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee.

The Fox news report also says that the UAE stopped flying missions in December itself. Though the lack of enough search-and-rescue assets and inability to assist downed planes are stated reasons for its retreat, Middle East watchers also say that the concern for domestic public opinion can also be a reason.

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