Welcome back :)

Peace,

Khaled

i'll show that monkey….

Moving on the the content and the types of answers we got from the FM. On the nuclear issue, he said:
” discussions are ongoing with the US to finalize NCA similar to ones signed with others.”

This statement is newsworthy because the “similar” treaties like the one the US had with the UAE prohibits the latter from enriching uranium. Does that mean that Jordan is softening it position so as not to jeopardize its relationship with its main donor? Furthermore, what is the position of the government of Jordan if the US offers technical and monetary support for renewable energy project in exchange of giving up our nuclear ambitions? Are such alternative being put on the table by either side?

On one question I asked about Jordan's leverage on the international level beyond the anti-terror coalition, I was surprised by the tone of the answer. I felt that H.E got very defensive and somehow offended that someone might actually ask such question. H.E's stance and that of mine(I admit) are at odds with where the majority of Jordanians stand on the issue, and that I believe is a failure on the PR front for the consecutive Jordanian governments. The public needs to be engaged and informed. There needs to be an organized effort to win the battle against the forces of evil, and that battle won't be won by secrecy and shoving things under the rug. On the leverage issue, I find it hard to believe that we are as influential as we would like to believe. Our will is not completely ours and our policies are many times not of our own choosing. We, as a country, depend on foreign aid and loans, as such the leverage we like to believe we have is non-existent, at least for the time being, until we have secure dependable water and energy resources in addition to a solid indivisible citizenry that is based on human rights and a new social contract.

Another question I asked was about the Obama vs Bush doctrine and how they relate to Jordan. I find it hard to believe, as someone immersed by choice in the US politics, that nothing has changed when it comes to the relationship with Jordan. Nentenyahu got his meeting with Obama not long ago, and as an observer, it looked like he won this round as evidenced by the tone of Obama and his personal trip to nentenyahu's car at the back of the white house with all the symbolism that such move carries.

On a side note, don't you think that by becoming the spokespeople for the Palestinian cause that our government is playing a major part in fulfilling the prophecy of the Israeli right? Don't you think that by looking like the only “reasonable” partner we are pushing our own destiny toward becoming the “caretakers” of the west bank? just a thought.

Plus, I was somewhat disappointed that the flotilla attack and massacre was referred to as an “incident” by his excellency. Maybe tougher language is needed. I do know that HM, to put it mildly, doesn't like Nentenyahu on the personal level, I also believe that Jordan might find some comfort in believing that many in the current US admin share the same feeling, however, don't you think that it is a bit naive to expect that such shared feeling will have any impact on the US policies in the region? Is Jordan trying to prove to the US that they can find in us a better, or at least an equivalent, partner than Israel? If this is the case then we need serious reevaluation..

Also, when I asked my question about the Jo ambassador in Israel and what it would take for us to withdraw him from tel-Aviv I was not looking for the reasons to keep him there. Don't you think that our relationship with israel and to a lesser extent with the US has put so much pressure on the relationship between the regime and our citizens? I am not sure for how long this fragile equilibrium can be maintained or how the cost-benefit analysis is calculated!

Enough for now :)