This ongoing story about the so-called “casino deal” has just been one mess after the other, and it just doesn’t seem to want to go away. In 2007, the Bakhit government supposedly signed a deal to create a casino at the Dead Sea, but last minute they pulled out of the deal supposedly due to [...]

“Jordan has to show the Arab world that there’s another way of doing things. We’re a monarchy, yes, but if we can show democracy that leads to a two-, three-, four-party system – left, right and center – in a couple of years’ time, then the Muslim Brotherhood will no longer be something to contend [...]

GETTY IMAGES: Destroyed furniture is seen in the AFP Amman office, on June 15, 2011 in Amman, Jordan. Ten men broke into AFP’s offices in Jordan’s capital on Wednesday and destroyed furniture, two days after the news agency was among several foreign media to report King Abdullah II’s motorcade had been stoned during his visit [...]

This was a very interesting video to watch. It is perhaps the first time I have heard the King speak to a local audience about a “national vision” (which in Jordan translates to “royal vision”) that states the end goal as being an elected government. All the magic words are reiterated. Democracy. Dialog. Constitution. Freedom. [...]

Am I the only one who feels in the lurch regarding this news of 8,000 pardons being issued as a temporary law? This is one of those “announcements” that seems to come out of the blue and is a clear attempt at appeasement given the timing. But like all things related to our government, the [...]