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 Jordan Size: 90,700 square kilometers. Population: 5.8 million |
Jordan has become the most enthusiastic Arab partner in the U.S.-led war
against terrorism. The Hashemite kingdom, including King Abdullah himself,
has been a target of Saudi fugitive Osama Bin Laden. Jordan has been the
only Arab country to support the war in Afghanistan and recruited in U.S.
war planning.At the same time, Amman has been seeking help for an upgrade of its
military. Abdullah is seeking more Western aircraft as well as modern air
defense. His search has taken him to London, Moscow, Paris and Washington. A
key obstacle is that the kingdom has little money to spend. Britain has
helped with a pledge of 288 Challenger-1 surplus tanks. About half the tanks
have arrived.But Jordan's biggest problem remains internal. The country has a Palestinian
majority of up to 70 percent of the population and by all accounts they are
becoming more vocal in demands such as equal rights and representation. The
result is that Abdullah has embarked on a pro-Hashemite policy that appears
even more pronounced than his late father. The test for the kingdom will
come if and when the Palestinian Authority becomes an independent state with
a border with Jordan.
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