QUIETLY, JORDAN BUILDS CASE AGAINST IRAQ

AMMAN [MENL] -- Jordan is quietly but steadily building a case for the
toppling of the regime of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.

Jordan's state-controlled media have begun publishing stories of Jordanians
abused and cheated in Baghdad. The stories tell of Jordanians coming to the
Iraqi capital to get rich and ending up bleeding in the streets of Baghdad.

Western diplomatic sources said the publication of stories long known in
Amman appear to be part of an effort to reduce support within the kingdom
for the Saddam regime. Baghdad is regarded as a key financier of much of
Jordan's opposition movement, particularly the powerful unions.

Jordanian newspapers have described how hundreds of Jordanian men were
defrauded and sometimes killed in get-rich schemes in Iraq. They quote
Jordanian officials as saying that scores of nationals fall victim to these
schemes every month.
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