A British colonel blocked an 80 million dollar weapons sale to Haftar from Jordan

Colonel Alex Macintosh, Jordan’s British military adviser, was asked to investigate an arms deal between Jordan and British and American military contractors in the summer of 2019.

According to the UN investigation, King Abdullah was skeptical and hesitant to agree to the deal that was nearing completion.

According to the British Times, British Colonel Macintosh successfully blocked the $80 million weapons deal that would given Haftar’s forces at the time a massive advantage against the forces of Libya’s previous goverment.

According to a credible Jordanian military source, “the Colonel was advised to halt the sale due to the purpose and final destination of the weapons.” That destination was Libya during the Haftar offensive on the capital, Tripoli.

Negotiations started with British and American contractors, including the founder of Blackwater America, who wanted to buy 9 US military planes from Jordan.

During his investigation of the transaction, Macintosh inquired about the end-user certificates that determine the aircraft’s final destination, to which a contractor replied, “You can declare that the destination is Tunisia or anywhere else you find acceptable.”

According to the UN investigation, Macintosh discovered that the shipment was destined for Khalifa Haftar in Libya, where the UN had imposed an arms embargo.

According to the Washington Post, if US weapons had arrived, they would have changed the balance of power and accelerated the attack on Tripoli and the forces of Libya’s previous governing body, the Government of National Accord.

According to a United Nations investigation of a consultant in Jordan’s Royal Cabinet, McIntosh discovered something else in the deal: the King’s brother, Prince Faisal, was involved in the arms deal with Haftar.

According to the British newspaper The Times, Macintosh’s intervention enraged some of the King’s advisers, and there were important people who were very angry about the deal being blocked.

Jordan denied Prince Faisal’s involvement in the deal in February 2021, but Macintosh was fired and returned to Britain because he became “very close” to King Abdullah and wielded considerable political power.

According to a retired Jordanian general, “It’s possible that Macintosh has gained a lot of clout. We’ve seen cases of foreign officers becoming so arrogant that they met with the King and other high-ranking officials.”

Macintosh is an experienced British general who worked with the SAS Commandos Special Unit and was highly respected by King Abdullah. He was a member of a British military force of 20 in Jordan that supported the King, after which he became the King’s close adviser.