Why has Jordan been abandoned?

Do we realize the all-encompassing danger present in the Kingdom of Jordan, and the size of the conspiracy that has been hatched against it, from numerous sides, whether by the Muslim Brotherhood, Israel, Iran or the extremists, or even some Arab gamblers, whose stories exceed all others? A question has puzzled me for years, namely why has Jordan been left to confront the wolves of the region alone? Jordan is a country without resources; however it has served – particularly during the era of King Abdullah II – as an important safety valve and stabilizing factor for the entire region, not to mention the region’s moderates. Ever since King Abdullah took the throne, taking over his country’s affairs, he has served Arabism and openness, safeguarding rationalism. He is an austere and vigilant monarch, always seeking to develop and protect his country, safeguarding the dignity of his citizens and confront extremism. However the enemies of this kingdom are many and they are evil to the fullest extent of the term, whether at home or abroad. Therefore this neglect regarding what is happening in Jordan is extremely puzzling, for whatever the cost of supporting Jordan, this will no doubt be less than that of its collapse, which would mean the mother of all regional disasters. I asked an expert: did the King of Jordan make a mistake when he allowed his government to lift subsidies on some goods at this time? His answer was that everybody, particularly the Arab Spring states, will – sooner or later – do precisely what the Jordanian government did in this regard. He said that even if the opposition took power in Jordan it would also take the same decision, as this is inevitable, even with regards to the oil-producing states, particularly if oil prices decrease in the future, whilst Jordan’s problem is that it has no resources or foreign support. Therefore, the unanswerable question is: why is Jordan being left alone, particularly when we see Muslim Brotherhood-ruled Egypt punishing this important Kingdom by cutting off gas exports, at a time when the Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood are trying to incite any domestic crisis and have begun to publicly call for the toppling of the regime, utilizing slogans that make reference to the Jordanian King himself? This is all taking place at a time when the al-Assad regime – along with Iran and Hezbollah – is doing everything in its power to drown Jordan in crises, not to mention Israel that wants Jordan to serve as the alternative homeland for the Palestinians. This is extremely puzzling, and unanswerable, particularly as the forces of evil in the region do not hesitate to take action – utilizing money, material and men – to destabilize our region, as well as compromise the security and stability of Jordan. This, in itself, represents a danger that is in no way less than the danger that is on the verge of engulfi g Bahrain and Kuwait, particularly as the King of Jordan has undertaken serious reforms; however it is clear that the forces of evil want to topple Jordan, and in any way, shape or form, in return for the toppling of the al-Assad regime. In conclusion, the security of Jordan is the security of the Arab Gulf, and the regional as a whole, particularly in light of this austere and vigilant monarch. Therefore, Jordan must not remain alone in confronting these evils. So when will the Arab Gulf intellectuals, particularly in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Kuwait take action in this regard and stand with Jordan before it is too late? This is what we hope, because what is happening in Jordan cannot be left in this manner, whilst it is also dangerous to wait for America’s position on this, especially following everything that we have seen from the US administration with regards to the Arab Spring. Protecting Jordan is protecting rationality and moderation, as well as the security and stability of the region as a whole! --- The views expressed by the author do not necessarily represent or reflect the editorial policy of Arabstoday.