Jordan: "Protect the Reform Process"

Wow, that's brazen.  King Abdullah must really be feeling the heat. 

Jordan's King quite literally bought off the officer corps and the security institutions yesterday:

His Majesty King Abdullah on Monday directed the government to allocate a percentage of shares in companies that will be privatised  and offer these shares for sale to personnel and pensioners of the military, public security, intelligence  and civil defence forces. The King said the shares should be sold at preferential prices and that arrangements for instalment payments be introduced.  Speaking at a Royal Court meeting with senior officers from the four branches, King Abdullah stressed that the members of these institutions must be guaranteed a solid livelihood and future. He said their “dedication to and sacrifices for the country” merit these standards.

That the King is so brazenly throwing money at the military and intelligence agencies suggests some pretty deep concerns. 

Here's the subtext:  this isn't only about "military" issues, or fear of a coup, in my opinion.  Since the military is traditionally dominated by the ethnically Transjordanian south, this is an indirect but blunt way of throwing a big old bribe at the core of the Parliamentary opposition to Prime Minister-designate Adnan Badran. 

The link between this bribe and Badran was quite explicit:

"King Abdullah told the top brass that the Armed Forces and the security agencies are expected to “protect the reform process” under way in the country, adding  that this process is “irreversible.”

"Reform" in this context means Badran's government.  Does it also mean democratization, liberalization, greater tolerance for media freedoms and political opposition?  Well, here's what the King had to say about that:

“Attempts to diminish our national accomplishments, libel, character assassination and trading accusations mar the bright image of the country,” he said, calling for an end to such practices.

Throwing money at the military and the mukhabarat while warning the media and political opposition to cease criticism.... that's a bit chilling.   Not exactly "democratic reforms", but hey - this is Jordan. 

Rania was very beautiful on NBC with Katie Couric, though. 

Comments

[David F.]

The King is also buying snazzy new uniforms for his security forces. Nice to know that he's got his priorities right...