The Careful Balance of Stability in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
Abstract:
leader in the recent Middle East peace negotiations. Since the end of the Gulf War, Jordan has diligently tried to regain its previous status with the United States Department of State and the White House. The conscious decision to side with Iraq was a carefully administered plan to reconcile past legitimacy problems and maintain a sense of balance in the Middle East while weathering a global conflict. Considering the dynamics of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) and its gains in autonomy, the region in general, and Jordan in specific will predictably see new circumstances. These situations will require a more liberal and modern version of government. Although there is a large Palestinian population, stability is dependent on King Hussein's ability to extend his legitimacy beyond personal ties to include a structural base. The cultural geography is a direct result of the formation of the nation. Jordanian borders are not traditional in the sense of geographical barriers or cultural centers. Jordan's borders were the result of an effort to reduce nomadic raiding as well as the political compromises of England after World War I. King Hussein's reign as king of the Hashemite Kingdom has spanned over forty years of the nation's seventy-year history, making him the longest consecutive monarch in the region (Tal, 1993, 45). The population, almost four million strong, has varied roots among its
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