Jordanian intelligence and security officials have just announced that they recently captured a cell of 17 Islamic State operatives allegedly plotting to launch catastrophic attacks to destabilize the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

The dramatic series of arrests were actually made in November and are only now being made public.

The news of the disruption of the chilling and “massive” ISIS plot comes just as the White House announced that Vice President Mike Pence is coming to the epicenter this month and will visit not only Egypt and Israel but Jordan, as well. Counter-terrorism will be a key element of the V.P.’s policy agenda.

Let me just say as someone who has traveled to Jordan at least ten times over the past decade — including four times in the past eighteen months — I’m deeply encouraged (and relieved) that Jordanian officials identified the plot and were able to deal with it…