T. Belman. This didn’t happen after this article was published but is still expected to happen. Mudar’s article tells you a great deal about the coming transition.
By Mudar Zahran, Secretary General of the Jordanian Opposition Coalition (May 18/22)
Despite Israel’s keenness to protecting the Hashemite regime, and staying out of the messy Arab internal politics, it is now public knowledge that the Israeli intelligence establishment believes that Jordan’s king’s fall is imminent, and Israeli officials have been whispering that in private for a while, desperately discussing ways to save king and keep him in power. Nonetheless, a well-calculated, carefully ushered and wittingly engineered change in Jordan could pose a huge opportunity for US, Israel, our Jordanian people, and all of those who want peace.
No, we are not seeking a total regime change in Jordan, in which the state itself is turned into nothingness, leaving a gap for Islamists to jump in and take over. This was the Obama style, at best, because Obama did not know better, or at worst, because he wanted the Islamists to take over.
The change we desire for Jordan will be simple: Seeing the already irrelevant king leave by a small and peaceful revolution that is protected by the army. The US does not and need not interfere as, this will be an internal Jordanian affair. All the US should do is offer the king a safe exit while Jordan’s army and strong intelligence keep the country intact and the Islamists at bay. This was the case when Egyptians took to the streets against the Muslim Brotherhood, deposed Morsi and the army protected the people, and the outcome: Serendipity, and more secular and peaceful Egypt, under a strong and wonderful man, President Sisi. Worth-noting here, that Jordan’s king does not control the army or Jordan’s intelligence; therefore, he will leave in peace. The US, on the other hand, finances, trains and influences our army and intelligence and could help both secular and patriotic organizations to usher in a moderate interim government for Jordan.
The US and the region could obtain breakthrough advantages from change in Jordan. The first is destroying Jordan’s Muslim Brotherhood. (MB). Jordan’s MB gets its power from the regime – so if the regime falls, the MB falls. Jordan’s own government believes this. This is important because Jordan’s MB is not just another terror group. The global MB HQ is based in Amman and controls Hamas and the global MB as well, especially Qatar’s MB. The US intelligence agencies are aware of this fact. If Jordan’s army -under US help and guidance- ushers in a secular anti-MB leader (like Egypt’s Sisi), that would be a major blow to the MB and the Western globalists forces who support them such as Soros.
The second advantage is ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. If a Palestinian-Jordanian leader becomes the head of Jordan’s interim government, and then Jordan’s president; this means that Jordanians from all backgrounds will have a home, and that 2.1 million Palestinians in the West Bank all holding Jordanian passports, could find a place to call their state.
Next, once the king is out and his theft of public money stops, Jordan will become economically prosperous and attractive for Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, Syria, and the West Bank itself. Meanwhile, Israel and the US could continue to twist the screws on the corrupt and terroristic Palestinian Authority, gradually putting them out of business of killing our people, Israelis, and even other PLO figures. Defusing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will be major blow to the globalists who have blackmailed the world for decades with it, and who remain united against President Trump and his advisor, Jared Kushner’s, effort to usher in real peace.
Another advantage is that a successful change in Jordan will put the region’s radical regimes on notice, Qatar for example. Those will need to end their hostility to Israel and to stop promoting radical Islamism, otherwise face the same music King Abdullah has. This also shall empower moderate regimes, and champions of change, such as the very pragmatic Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Ben Salman, and UAE’s Crown Prince, Mohammad Ben Zayed.
America’s deep and positive influence of Jordan’s army and security agencies means the country will remain safe during the transition, and so will its borders with Israel. In fact, it is this influence that keeps Jordan’s borders with Israel safe, and not the absentee landlord king who spends most of his time in Europe, with documented travel of 30 percent of the year, not counting his year-long private vacations. He is irrelevant to everything and anything in Jordan.
Once a new interim leadership is in power, the first thing it should do is banning all Islamist groups, just like Sisi of Egypt did, and this will mean they will not even have a chance of running for any public office, let alone for president.
Today, such positive change in Jordan will be embraced by several Arab governments who no-longer see Israel as an enemy and in fact would love to see an end to the expensive and obstructive conflict.
This sought for change is the very reason my political party and I proudly took part in the Jordan Option Conference in Jerusalem on October 17, 2017. It is also the reason we are participating in the Zoom Conference on Jordan on May 15th.
Now, for those who do not know much about what is happening in Jordan, they should watch recent videos of Jordanians hitting the king’s photos with shoes in public. This should sum up what is coming. Jordanians are hungry, angry and have lost hope. The Jordanians army could not care less for a powerless king, and the Arab countries of the region are not willing to bail out a king who is openly aligned with Iran against them. Do the math, and you shall see what is coming.
The sweet music of change is playing loud, and we all better be listening.
***
@Edgar
My comment was not intended as a criticism. Instead it was intended to bolster your hope.
You are right about the protest videos. Mudar’s response was that Jordanians are living in a police state and are afraid. This regime change is not driven by the masses. It is driven by Britain, the US and Israel. They are all behind it.
As to when it will happen, I am not informed.
TED-
That is a very unfair, backhanded criticism.
You have “Faith”…but you also have facts, figures planning blueprints and much more. YOU alone know what you know.
I on the other hand , being one of your most ardent supporters in this issue, have Logic, Rational Anticipation, and HOPE .Naturally, no information.
But the wait is long, and even snticipation so sharp as mine can become a little dulled. I know that there is much that you cannot divulge, and what we know from you are harmless to your cause,. I hope they are only the “tip of the Iceberg”.
However, you didn’t answer the questions I’ve just asked, none of which would break into classified material. There must have been more meetings and talks than I know.
And they are also the simple questions that anyone would ask. Never once has anyone heard the name of Mudar Zahran in a single one of the 2 minute filmed “riots” and “demonstrations” which looked peaceful and although accusing the King, never once gave an alternate suggestion.
Traffic was going by as in a normal manner, and no violence was seen.
They looked almost like “Hyde Park” Sunday events.
They reminded me more of the Arafat propaganda “raids” into Israel by his brave “Fedahin”, which actually were filmed in Jordan itself.
Anyway I’ll stop harassing you- with apologies-, know that my feelings are sincere.
@Ted
You make an important distinction here, which I tried to address, though perhaps not successfully, when I added that
In any event it, is a formidable sum of US tax payer dollars being spent in Jordan to effect reforms.
@Peloni
As Ettinger often points out, the US doesn’t give aid to Israel. It invests in Israel and and receives in return much more. Its a profitable investment.
@Edgar
Jordan is the #1 recipient of US economic foreign aid, and receives nearly double the amount sent to the second on the list (Ethiopia). This past Fall, the US signed a memorandum of understanding with Jordan which actually increased US economic aid to Jordan from $1.25B to $1.45B – per year. This yearly stipend is and has been explicitly intended to implement economic and social reforms within the country with little effect. Additionally, the US is granting Jordan another $75M to help support the Syrian refugees present in the country. This is not to be confused as military aid which comes to be a little over $500M per year. So, Jordan is receiving more than half the aid sent to Israel just to support their economic reforms which never fail to have an unimpressive effect – and recall that the aid sent to Israel is all military aid to be spent (~90%) in the US MIC. In the right hands, this along with funding from other sources could be very useful to change the economic position of the Jordanian people. In Mudar’s hands, it could also be very useful in implementing the JO which requires a great improvement in the prosperity of the Jordanian people.
@Edgar
I have kept the faith. You should too.
JORDAN- won’t become ” immediately prosporous” after the king ceases stealing public money. It come to a large degree from outside charitable sources. That needs to ne maintained for such to happen.
That Israel is desperately trying to keep Jordan’s king in place shows that Mudar Zahran has had no effect on its policies.re Jordan.
Or at least , seems not to….????
A big question for TED…Why is it that Israel does not grab at your solution????Hev they even listened to you??? Have you even been allowed to speak to Israel’s hierarchy???
Is it just that they judge the time is not yet right??? Or do they ignore you.??
I still maintain that it is, as described by far the very best and NEEDED outcome.
Ted, If your chosen, then you have to step up to the job. We’ll pray for an opening. As I reread all the Commets and article I thought. It really could be so easy to bring peace to the west bank and the east bank with very little effort if the players would just give peace a chance. Surely, the PA and MB mothers must be tired of burying their children.
@Ted
FANTASTIC NEWS!!
I just learned that Yishai Fleisher, who chaired my JO conference is now, among other things, an advisor to Ben Gvir. That gives me access.
Yishai has a law degree from Yehiva U.
The author has been singing this song for many years. The fall of the Jordanian monarchy is just a few weeks away–it’s always just a few weeks away. It’s been just a few weeks away for at least ten years now.
@lINDA
I think Mudar is saying what he knows rather than what he presumes.. I suggest you believe what he is saying rather than dismiss it.
The author of this article presumes that the U.S. would favorably participate in this plan, forgetting that the U.S. under Biden has little interest in this. Can we forget Obama’s interest in taking down ally Mubarek and replacing him with MB member Morsi?
@SEBASTIEN-
Just having a little more fun….you know my sense of humour. !!
I always rag the pompous and prolix.
@Edgar Now, that’s a conversation stopper if ever I heard one.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_Brahmin
Edgar
Had to look that one up
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_Brahmin
But, the context to which you applied it escapes me. R U reefeerring to Israpundit, Israel, the international goyim, something else?
We have a rapidly developing situation on this site where
“The Lowells speak only to the Cabots…and the Cabots speak only to god”…..
Quite funny in fact….
@SEBASTIEN-
I understand. I have since read the WIKI blurb on it, and I recall most of it, also names of the characters. So I DID see it long ago, but much had slipped my mind.
@Edgar My point was that your comment about the MB waiting in the wings with their own plans should the King fall is like the plot of that movie in which the Mordea, note the similarity in the names, are waiting in the wings should the King die and his successor be assassinated, with democracy at stake. Nothing more.
@Raphael
What generous praise, I am quite flattered by your kind words. I always take note of your comments, you don’t post much, but your input is always well based in sound reasoning, much as your most recent comment.
I believe there is more than hope to fuel the change in Jordan, and I think recent realities may lead even the established politicians in Israel to seek out a more victory oriented vision over the long held policy of ‘let’s hold the line’. Perhaps the dire context of the current situation is causing me to think such things, but, for my own thoughts such as they are, I believe the soundness of the pursuit of victory for victory’s sake alone will build its own path, upon which the politicos will find enough terra firma to lead them to support wiser policies. The Right has never been so strong and that strength would appear to not be weakening over the past year.
@Sebastien
@Edgar
I greatly enjoyed the Prisoner of Zenda, but I think Edgar Rice Borroughs in his “The Mad King” produced a better story with nearly the entire premise of Hope’s original work included. Burroughs placed the adventure around the beginning of WWI and added a developing scenario on Hope’s work where the King, whose kingdom was saved for him, became jealous and hateful of the hero who not only saved his thrown but was a better king and much loved by everyone, including the queen, LOL. A much satisfying end to the Prisoner of Zenda theme, which I had always hoped would be made into a movie, but of course Prisoner of Zenda was still very entertaining.
@SEBASTIEN-
Whilst posting to you about Zanzibar, for an unknown reason a book I have, named “The Elephant is White” by Brahms and Symons ( I think they were also bridge experts and had a newspaper column) popped into my head. Then I thought about the film made from it called “Give us the Moon”, and Vic Oliver, a favourite comedian was in it. Also Jean Simmons, which led me along another path of memory. I vividly recall Max Bacon in it also, who was a terrific Jazz Drummer, although not in this film. He made a comedy monologue record about “Little Red Hooding Ride” and one of his comments was “she remembered that she had to be home at twelve o’clock the cheapest”.
It’s a funny thing the way memory works.
I think Oliver who was Jewish, was married to one of Churchill’s daughters.
@SEBASTIEN-
Sorry, I only vaguely remember it. Not the plot. The best Hope film for me was Road to Zanzibar….except for that stupid Lamour “funeral” scene. For some reason I always liked Iris Adrian. I used to read about her being a star in very old film magazines….when she was young, and better looking.
She then reminded in in appearance of Ida Lupino the English actress whom I liked to see.
She, Lupino, was part of a HUGE family, cousins and in-laws etc. all actors, and connected to performing, for generations. I used to read about them.
@RAPHAEL-
Det’s Naais…dem kredenshuls, vots dem abaht dont be moddest tell uis.
??? Zo kondesending you are. Patronizink too.
Yes ve’re all kuzzins… foist und zecund, intemerrid too. Overbred soitingly, not underbred.
Forget obvious typo. More relevant;
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Israel
And recent polling said 75 percent of Arabs don’t support Israel as a Jewish state which means 25 percent do.
Not quite as scary as severall million.
@Reader
Wikipedia
That includes, Arab, Aramean, and other Christians, Druze, Vietnamese.
The IDF attacks Iranian bases, troops, ships, and proxies outside of Iran, and low level actions inside Iran, all the time.
No sanctions or effective fifth column activities, so far. Iran has not been able to retaliate, in kind, despite some clumsy attempts.
For those who expect or even envision Israel attacking Iran or the Iran supported militias:
1) take a look at the map;
2) realize that any kind of war/”special operation” by Israel will be accompanied by the several million strong Israel’s 5th column attacking the Jewish Israelis throughout the country;
3) our “dear friends” in the US and Europe (and the ME, India, and China) will impose Russia-style sanctions on Israel to stop Israel’s “war crimes”.
@Edgar I love Prisoner of Zenda, Yes it was Fairbanks, No the plot is different. He’s not impersonating a twin.Here. watch the movie for free. It’s funny.
https://youtu.be/3EkZv8wC5rQ
@peloni1986
Thank you for saying so. Sometimes it seems that nobody hears. As much as I enjoy the Israpundit forum, at times, it seems rather interbred and unaccepting of “outsiders”. As one who has some modest “credentials”, this is distressing. I must say, however, that your observations and comments are the highlight of the forum, and I will continue here for that reason, if for none other.
@SEBASTIEN-
Constitutional Monarchy…..he may have “talked” about it, I know someone did, but that was 2-3 years ago, and the fact is that he has not DONE it. All he does is change the PM, and other officials, still all his toadies.
.
The place is in far too much of a mess for that. Remember…they are Arabs, and poor. They are out of the tent era, but not mentally. Everyone would be elbowing his neighbour out of the way to get the plums.
Arabs are just not far enough advanced to get away from tribalism and become truly civilised. They have millennia of adherence to their tribal chiefs to overcome first.
When I was living in Israel, I knew some “civilised”, modern Arabs. They wore suits, collars and ties. But when they got back home, they got rid of their garb and assumed their robes and head dresses, sat on cushions, or mats, as if around a campfire etc.
“Back on the farm”….
@PELONI-
I think a couple of brigades, armoured, and a few planes could keep that border under wraps, assuming STRONG retaliation when needed, without interfering with the Iran matter. Iran may be there, but it would be the Jordanian Army which would do the presumed fighting. And they are supposedly controlled by the US. hand and foot.
It’s still undecided whether Israel will have to “got it alone” or whether the US will render strong support, despite whatever “deal” they may come to-if they ever do. The civilised world KNOWS that Iran must NEVER gat a nuclear capability, certainly under its present form of government.
Else we could slide into the same situation which prevailed during the 1930s right up to WW2. (lethargy, suspicion and wishful thinking)
@SEBASTIEN-
Yes; I saw that Hope film, it was a skit basically on “The Prisoner of Zenda” the Ronal Coleman movie. I have the book, by Anthony Hope (no relation-I hope). The book is rather better than the movie. I have several of his books and like them.
I think it was Douglas Fairbanks Jr. who played that good part of Rupert of Hentzau
@Raphael
You make some good points.
@Sebastien
You stole my long border line before I could press the post comment button, LOL…I think it could be a strategic disaster to leave that border under Iranian control, especially with the active 5th column which was bold enough to act without any weapons beyond their fist and clubs in the last May’s War of Riots and Rockets. The deterioration in the relationship of the Israeli Arabs with their Israeli neighbors exposed a great weakness for Israel that could easily be manipulated with very little effort, especially if Iran had free access across the full length of that enormous border.
contested territory by warring jihadist groups and another entry point for Iranian troops.
@Edgar
As I see it, when Israel attacks Iran, it will have its hands full with the other Iranian sources of attack while simultaneously pursuing the nuclear installations. Permitting the Iranians to persist in Jordan to that point would provide Iran with the vantage of the full length of the long Jordanian border from which to launch drones and manned incursions into Israel in coordination with the missiles from Lebanon and Gaza and the 5th columnists already established in Israel. Hence, I believe pursuing a solution to Jordan’s Iranian problem prior to pursuing the Iranian nuclear problem is an important undertaking that would make tackling the Iranian problem infinitely less complicated, especially if it resulted in a friendly leadership in Jordan, added to Israel’s alliance community, who could prevent, to some level at least, the potential attack from East of the Jordan River.
The success or failure of Ted’s plan does require the clear support of the US and Israel, to some degree at least, as you correctly note, but I do believe there is a pivotal benefit beyond the stylize future to be gained in supporting Jordan’s move towards Israel and away from Iran which is a second more immediate benefit of the Jordan Option. Such as it is, these were my thoughts.
@Edgar Wikipedia left out that the King had been about to inaugurate a constitutional monarchy and elections. “King Ralph” (1991) had the same premise but without the politics or Signe Hasso who plays a heroic female general and love interest, a first for its time.
I know that the Israeli leadership is worried about Jordan with its long b9rder becom8ng contex6d
@Edgar
The title concisely summarizes why those in power, and those with influence will use every means possible to make this plan fail:
“Easy” – That would eliminate the opportunity to create mountains of red-tape and huge corrupt bureaucracies to manage it.
“Cheap” – That would eliminate airplanes full of money coming from the West, and the opportunity to skim off millions for personal Swiss bank accounts.
“Good for Everyone” – This is specifically NOT desired by those who want to keep the conflict alive for personal gain or ideological reasons. The only way to maintain the conflict, and the continued flow of Euros and Dollars, is to cause as much suffering among the “palestinians”, and to blame “the Jews” for it.
So, the Mudar Zahran plan will never come to fruition based on its merits. It will only happen if someone comes to power, who can forcibly make it happen.
@PELONI-
I beg to differ-a little-… Mudar does not provide a solution as such. He provides a stylised future AFTER a solution has been implemented..by others not presently stepping forward.
As for Iran, It’s influence in Jordan will rise or fall with the outcome of Israel’s actions concerning it’s nuclear capability, slowly heating up….far too slowly heating up.
@FELIX-
I agree with you. Israel should not ACTIVELY intervene, but it “could” tacitly acquiesce, and perhaps ease a suitable transition thusly.
@Reader
Jordan has brought the Iranians in to foster the failed king. How is it that you and Felix can accept the role that Russia is playing in Ukraine but ignore the reason for Israel to keep Iran out of Jordan. The problem is not the king in Jordan, the problem is the Iranians in Jordan. Mudar provides a solution to this problem to the benefit of the Jordanians and the Israelis, albeit one that will only succeed with US and Israeli support, but the alternative of an Iranian proxy in Amman is not a decent relationship.
@Felix
Frankly, given your understanding that Russia has a right to intervene in Ukraine due to the extension of NATO there, your statement that Israel has no role to play in a Iranian dominated Jordan quite surprises me.
Let’s consider where things are in Jordan. The king in Jordan has been overthrown with his move to embrace the Shia Iranians as they aid him in dominating his Sunni nation. Furthermore, the adoption of Iranian incursion into his ‘kingdom’ to support his claim of kingship should be further qualified with the knowledge that he does so against the will of his people. The irony of Abdullah’s plight is that he only holds an authority of ‘kingship’ in ‘his’ ‘kingdom’ due to his forefather being picked at random from a foreign land by the British to rule in their interest over the existing and imported Jordanian inhabitants. Hence, the origin of the Hashemites was to act as an imported sovereign who could serve as an Arab proxy to impose the will of foreign interests over the locals. This faithless family failed to provide benefit enough to maintain their authority over the Jordanian nation in the past century with successive failures. The culmination of their disintegration is now so extreme that the ‘king’ has a need of new foreign support to steady the crown that was always a synthetic fit for him and his family, due to their penchant for failing to employ even adequate rule over their gifted ‘kingdom’. Having betrayed and bilked the Sunni states beyond the point of continuing, Abdullah has played the final card of infamy in betraying his Sunni nation to the interest of the Iranain menace. The Jordanian Arabs and Bedouin Tribes have acted to oppose this extension of Iranian rule over the state of Jordan as they have rallied to the wise support of Mudar and his JOC. They seek an alliance with Israel in extending the Abraham Accords to Jordan, the expulsion of Iran, and the fall of the Muslim Brotherhood, alongside the end of the Hashemite rule to benefit foreign interests over the Jordanian people. This is the state of affairs as they stand in Jordan today.
Of course, had this travesty been occurring in south east Asia or north east Europe to support the interest of some far off nation in some far off land, I would agree totally with you that Israel has no reason to expose herself politically or militarily in such unrelated matters. But this travesty is occurring on the very border of Israel, and this treachery being imposed upon the Jordanian people is being exercised to the benefit and extending reach of the Iranian conquest of the Middle East. The fact is that the rot of Jordan has sat so long unattended, that it has brought this Persian influence within a short walk from Jerusalem, complete with the Iranian designs of conquest over the Jewish State and the destruction of her people.
Israel does have a choice, but it is not a choice of living in peace with Jordan, but rather a choice of ceding the major strategic possession of Jordan to her greatest geopolitical rival, Iran. It is not an easy choice, unless you see these facts clearly, and then the choice does appear as no choice at all, as I see it in any event.
Do explain how your opinion differs in what I have described, if you would.
@PELONI0
Admittedly I’ve just glanced very quickly over your posts which I will carefully read later. It looks like an off-the-cuff Ted-booster to me.
BUT….my “glance” reveals to me that it follows very much the same path as the article itself. “wishful thinking”: Dependent on “shoulds” and “coulds” etc. Not at all you usual incisive dissection, examination, solution and careful re-assembly..
Regardless of the mulcting by the Kinglet, it is a drop in the bucket compared to the total national income and the exposed revelations only show the distasteful (to us westerners) customary Arab self enrichment.
Mudar may be, IS genuine, but we have seen very carefully 1-2-3 min video clips designed clips of protests, which however have never mentioned Mudar, nor even interfered with the normal auto and other street traffic. We have READ about them on this site, but not seen them.
You may disagree, but they strongly remind me of Arafat’s faked-up “brave” attacks on Israel, which were all “carried out” in Jordan, never coming even close to the River itself. You may not recall those, but I do.
We have never seen or heard a single mention of Mudar from any US or even British Official -where he lives. Whilst I 1am 100% behind his aspirations, I get the feeling, stronger as time goes on, that this is all a manufactured future, with many insurmountable barriers to pass over. There seems not to have yet been a realistic path shown to success, although very thorough and professional housing preparations AFTER it occurs. But, again, all dependent on the success of the future event itself.
The crux…where is the US support…where is the Israeli support. I mean OFFICIAL.How will the deeply rooted Muslim Brotherhood be dug out. Do you not think that if Andullah scarpers, that the MB will not already have a complete take-over Plan ready to activate. When will the Syrian refugees go back to Syria…not in the near or even the mid future, for sure.
There were elections recently in Jordan. Only ONE woman actually won her seat, but there are several more reserved for women. The MB boycotted the election, and there was a less than 30% turnout. OMINOUS.
The whole thing is a MESS. Mudar moving from London to Amman-if he is not murdered on arrival, will not automatically settle things on the right path. Arabs are NOTORIOUS for chaos, especially the extremely Jew Hating Arabs. Mudar will want to normalise with Israel…how do you think that can be done peacefully. I forsee REAL and bloody oppositiojn there.
Ted and Mudar have done an enormous amount of work which-if it arrives intact, will have the most beneficial effects on the whole Middle East, no boubt about that, Much as I support Ted, I am a logical realist and MUST ask questions. So far, I see NO answers….only hopes.
Israel has a decent relationship with Jordan – why mess with it?
This guy popped out of nowhere and claimed that he is a real force which can replace the king of Jordan.
What if I start trying to convince everybody that I am a fitting substitute for the British royal family?
Right…
I am opposed to all of this and every bit of it. I am opposed to any intervention by Israelis as most on Israpundit are doing in Jordan and the overthrow by them of the ruling government. And I wonder who do they think they are? I am of the belief that this is a corruption of the Zionist ideal and basing myself on the support of Leon Trotsky for establishment of a Jewish Homeland I oppose all of you right down the line.
@Edgar
Regarding Mudar’s lack of mention of the establishment of democratic basis of his endeavors in his letter here, it was likely an oversight, and he mentions the establishment of a Jordanian Republic in the first sentences of his video presentation that Ted posted today, which you should watch if you haven’t seen it yet.
I think it is not an unfair criticism that Jordan has been a financial black hole into which the state funds seem to have a meager chance of meeting the state’s needs based on Jordan’s historic incapacity for economic growth. Yet, as you are no doubt aware, when the CEO of any organization secures the operational earnings to purchase foreign assets and fill off-shore accounts, it could never honestly be assessed what the true potential of an honest operation might bring in place of such institutionalized embezzlement as the Hashemites have established. The business of doing business is often a self fulfilling premise when a siphon is not installed to empty the well before anyone can drink the first draft. Big endeavors, such as the City envisioned in the Jordan Option, will lead to financial successes at many levels, and has the potential to lift many ships with the same effort. No doubt you are aware of what I am referencing,
I guess what I am trying to express, is that Jordan might be capable of being a self sustaining nation given a proper management, recall it was never in the interest of the Hashemites to provide a proper income for the masses caught under their control. It is a fair statement of fact that the Jordanians have never had any such potential of establishing a proper economy as the Imperial imposed position of the Jordanian economy was placed as the plaything of the duplicitous Hashemites over the years. This will be quite a different thing under a democratic institutional govt where meritocracy will be the hallmark and pathway of the regime’s continued control of the nation. The funding of the scurillous UNWRA will be added to Jordan’s pockets as well under the principles of the Jordan Option as described. Hopefully, Mudar will provide the leadership and wise economic council to see the project succeed before needing to succumb to the dreaded debt masters in the IMF, but if not, there is that unfortunate possibility as well. The maintenance of a stable govt in Jordan will also be a goal to which the many Arab nations will likely have a self-interest in maintaining, though, again, I would prefer this to be sought in a short term basis to prevent Jordan being controlled from such nations. As Jordan develops her own economy, the nations that straddle the two sides of the Jordan could come to share more than just geography as trade and travel benefits could blossom from the replacement of a warm peace partner for the cold peace treachery which is the best that Jordan has ever truly offered in the past. To this end, the establishment of peace in the region would further reinforce the trade and travel in these two nations and further aid Jordan’s potential for economic independence and stability.
In any event, these are some thoughts that came to mind when reading your post. Curious of how much if any of this you might concur.
In truth, there are a good many unknowns associated with any change, but change is coming one way or the other, and one change that is incrementally creeping, by leaps and bounds actually, is the presence of an Iranian impregnation of Jordan on Israel’s eastern border, complete with Revolutionary Guardsmen and Iranian sourced drones. Hence, the status quo is, in fact, quite in flux. Choices need to be made, indeed they are being made certain by the impotent inaction, or what appears as such, by the tolerance of Bennett’s govt for the Iranian presence in yet one more Iranian satellite in the Middle East. This latest conquest of infiltration by Iran, however, is upon the historic lands of Mandated Palestine east of the Jordan. There is no more intimate call of alarm to Israel’s future survival than to tolerate this presence of an existential threat extending along the entire of her longest border, controlling the Jordanian people who have no connection with Iran beyond one of domination and exploitation towards a Persian conquest of all Arab lands and Israel as well. Despite the long known enmity among the Jordanians for Israel, they have seen fit to support Mudar in his opposition to the King’s continued authority where Iran is seen to hold the crown upon the slippery slopes of Abdullah’s un-regal brow.
I have read and listened to Mudar over the past many years including news broadcasts and radio interviews along with the more official commentaries by him. His faithful inspiration for a peaceful transition from the British installed authority of the filching skullduggery of the Hashemites over the Jordanian people towards a more democratic choice, which Mudar easily represents, has long presented itself as not just a solution, but a potentially strong asset in place of the too long tolerated tyranny and treachery which have been the hallmarks of the Jordanian govt over the past century. In truth, Mudar does seem to represent the greatest revolutionary concept in Modern Arabian history. Perhaps it is that he represents a gift so powerfully opposed to the long established order of Arabian conduct that many have chosen to stray towards the tried and rued path of supporting dictators and monarchs.
Of course, it is fair to suggest that when things are remade towards a desired image, the potential exists for the hoped for realization of creating a Mona Lisa might instead be configured more along the lines of Picasso’s the Woman in an Armchair (https://duckduckgo.com/?q=picasso+painting+woman&t=ffcm&atb=v294-1&iar=images&iax=images&ia=images&iai=https%3A%2F%2Farthistoryproject.com%2Fsite%2Fassets%2Ffiles%2F22145%2Fpablo-picasso-woman-in-an-armchair-1941-trivium-art-history.1200×0.jpg), but as I noted above, change is coming, and choices need choosing, so best we back what should be seen as an obvious choice in Mudar while we still have the opportunity of seeing what his inspirations might secure in place of the recent Persian tenants on the Eastern bank of the Jordan.
It is true that the economy of Jordan is, and has been, that of a pauper state, but, as with Ukraine, this is what comes from a Mafia led state, where the treasury serves as a source of personal wealth of the head mafioso rather than a source of national reinvestment and economic development. I am not certain to what level the Kingship’s thefts have discriminated against the Jordanian people’s interests, but poor fiscal management is a much easier task than its mirror image and such consequences present an exponentially devastating result. So, should a wiser leadership come to reign in the interests of the reigning elites, we could surmise something of what has been lost to the Jordanian people over the passing decades, but there has never before been any such record to compare to the state-wide theft of the nation’s interests to satisfy their unprincipled prince’s unbridled tendencies of pilfering the public purse.
Time is ticking, the status quo is long lost, and the Jordan Option has never presented a more tangibly significant potential for solving many problems that should have been addressed more directly long before the present state of affairs. The Jordanians have seen the choice before them and chosen. Now it lies with Israel to do the same. Delaying further is utter folly.
Typo; I mean that Israel’s GDP was 10 times that of Jordan’s. I read that up to 2020 Jordan averaged 12 bill. Israel had a GDP of 400 bill in 2020.
Jordan’s Foreign DEBT is 60% of it’s GDP. Israel’s is just over half that, with an expected GDP in 2022 of 420 bill. So Israel is on the upswing economically, a 5% increase- which is large.
This article is great- if it were all to come true. But……., There are endless, “could” :might”, “will”..”should” etc. Not a mention of Jordan as a Democratic Republic, nor free, fair elections.
The envisioned future of the country is most desirable-if it happens.
The positives are very delectable, but, as the article points out –in a casual way, EVERYTHING depends on Israel and the US Govt. which the writer and we, know is against anything which will rout Hussein out of his place there. Nor is there a plan to dig out the deeply embedded Muslim Brotherhood, just a hope.as if a fait accomplit..
Another point is that we see that the King is absent from the country up to 30% of the time. Previously we had being told that he was only present less than 30% of the time. These days, we see mentions of him attending to business, meeting with a variety of notables both in Jordan and elsewhere.
What if the early result is abandoned chaos. As for Egypt, Sisi is a military man and had the army prepared, and yet there were riots, shootings quasi-revolutions etc. And the Jordanians HATE the Jews more than even the Egyptians do. The army and intelligence dept, supposedly under the control of the US, would be a great help……if the US supports Mudar, as I hope they will. But I’ve never seen any mention of him by any US Officials , although I may have missed the announcements.
The writer being “ready, willing, and able” to step in as “Interim President, and then President” shows no modesty, only a desire for power, though his plans ate very laudable. I can see that for a while there’d have to be a strict dictatorship and martial law. How else to get the Jew-hating public to simmer down to civilised normalcy.
Is Mudar capable of the “Iron Fist” in the Velvet Glove……. He seems mild and honest..
The potential for a booming economy, is nebulous. Jordan is a beggar country, (like the PA) surviving on the donations of others. It would take 10 stringent years before it could be self sustaining.. if ever.
Jordan exports to it’s adjacent neighbour , Israel, are negligible, $100 mill p.a. Imports 4 times that amount. Israel’s GDP is over 100 times that of Jordan, sitting cheek by jowl.
What if there is a home-grown rival ????