Coup attempt in Jordan

I would NEVER do such a thing!

Hope all is OK there. The king is one of the sane ME leaders, sometimes I wonder if he's the only one who is. Took in scads of refugees for years.

Dirt-poor tribal Muslim country. Seems like bickering between the various children of the late King Hussein. The current King Abdullah was the eldest son of Hussein's 12 children and his choice to rule (royally pissing off Hussein's brother Hassan, who was stripped of the title Crown Prince in favor of Abdullah, but that's another story for another time). With the proviso that Abdullah designate Hamzah, Hussein's eldest son by Queen Noor, crown prince. Hamzah and his supporters obviously feel that Abdullah is weak and attempted to shove him off his thrown. One of the main reasons the region is under constant conflict. Huge families all vying for power, control and the wealth that goes with it.

[quote]Took in scads of refugees for years.

Abdullah did not "take in refugees". He is allowing them temporary residence for a HUGE sum of money. Just like his father Hussein did.

Abdullah ordered the arrest of his half-brother, Prince Hamzah bin Hussein, and twenty other courtiers for attempting to overthrow him in a coup d'etat. In 2004, Abdullah removed Hamzah as Crown Prince and designated his eldest son Hussein as his sucessor.

Jordan isn't exactly dirt poor. It's a middle income country plagued with high poverty. It lacks the natural resources (read: oil) that many of the other Middle Eastern nations have, and it has poor climate.

Crown Prince Hussein is cute.

He is NOT cute at all

[quote]Jordan isn't exactly dirt poor.

Yes it is. 20% of the population live in "poverty". Jordan produces nothing. The US currently aides Jordan to the tune of $1.5 Billion dollars a year, most of which goes to keeping up King Abdullah's 7 palaces and his wife's designer wardrobe. In addition, various UN agencies, international donors and NGOs provide education, medicine and food for the ever-burgeoning population. Which is why Abdullah allowed "refugees" into his kingdom, yet another money-spinner which allows Abdullah to continue to control.

[quote] The US currently aides Jordan

Oh, dear.

Jordan's a weird place.

It's comprised of more urbanized (village-ized?) Palestinians who live along the East Bank of the Jordan and are interrelated with Palestinians on the West Bank (both banks were part of Jordan until 1967)

Then there are random more Bedouin-ish tribal groups in the interior and that's who really supports the Royal Family.

Since there are more Palestinians overall, they have tried to take power--see link to Black September revolt in 1970/71 where Palestinians tried to unseat the royal family.

As a result, the Jordanians have had zero interest in taking the West Bank back, which would have solved multiple problems in the Middle East.

There are some well-informed posters in this thread. The Jordanian royal family does not give a rat's ass about the Palestinians and sees them as a nuisance. Jordan is entirely dependent on the US and Israel. This seems to me as well like intra-family squabbling.

More than a nuisance R10

They do not want the Palestinians setting up a state on the West Bank as it is likely the Palestinians on the East Bank would want to merge and form a single state with them, a state that would not include the Jordanian Royal Family.

OTOH, the Jordanians do whatever the US tell them to do in return of US and Israeli support and provide a nice physical buffer as most all the inhabitants live in the areas along the Syrian and Israeli borders.

Queen Noor, Hamzah's mother, is Lisa Halaby, an American woman--her father was a Christian Syrian, her mother of Swedish origin, and she went to Chapin and Princeton, met the widowed King Abdullah and converted to Islam to marry him.

[quote]met the widowed King Abdullah and converted to Islam to marry him.

You mean King Hussein. Abdullah is Noor's stepson, who her son is feuding with.

Queen Noor's is hot, thus I want him to succeed!!!

Hussein and Noor's youngest son Hashim bin al Hussein - woof! I want HIM to succeed.

A friend went to Deerfield with King Abdullah. Said he was a nice guy. (That’s my take on the attempted coup.)

Did the younger brother marry a gold-digging half-black actress, by any chance?

I met Queen Rania at a charity event, she was extremely charming.

Other than that I hope everything is okay there, as any drama with Jordan could have massive effects on the rest of the Levant, countries that are already in strife at the moment.

Thank you R17

Just the other day we were having a tiff with the 1980s and 1990s about how the term "Levant" was still relevant.

So if Israel were to annex Jordan, the Palestinians would finally have somewhere to call their own?

No R19

If Jordan were to RE-annex the West Bank (which was part of Jordan until 1967) then the Palestinians would have someplace to call their own.

^^But that is unlikely to happen because the first thing the Palestinians would do is get rid of the Jordanian royal family who are Saudis who were imposed on the country by the British back in the day.

[quote]the first thing the Palestinians would do is get rid of the Jordanian royal family who are Saudis who were imposed on the country by the British back in the day.

The Jordanian royal family are Hashemis (that's why it's known as the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan) not Sauds. The Hashemis were kicked out of Saudi Arabia by the Sauds, who were the stronger clan. The Brits gifted the Hashemis half of "Mandated Palestine" in 1922, which became known as Transjordan and then Jordan.

Queen Rania, King Abdullah's missus, is from a Tulkarm family who moved to Kuwait generations ago. In 1990, during the first Gulf War, Yasser Arafat sided with Saddam Hussein, who had just invaded Kuwait. The al Sabahs, who'd been at the forefront of bankrolling Arafat, were outraged and expelled all 250,000 "Palestinians", including Rania and her family. They are now based in Cairo.

I believe Jordan is one of most accepting of LGBT in the middle east. Been there before and found it a little boring but Petra really is amazing.

R[quote]I believe Jordan is one of most accepting of LGBT in the middle east.

No, it isn't. They simply neglected to criminalize homosexuality to keep the tourists coming, since tourism is the only thing Jordan has to flog to the outside world. It remains as socially abhorrent and taboo as in the rest of the Muslim world.

[quote] The Jordanian royal family are Hashemis (that's why it's known as the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan) not Sauds. The Hashemis were kicked out of Saudi Arabia by the Sauds, who were the stronger clan. The Brits gifted the Hashemis half of "Mandated Palestine" in 1922, which became known as Transjordan and then Jordan.

Where are the Hashemis from originally?

[quote]Where are the Hashemis from originally?

From the Arabian peninsula. The Hashemis claim direct descent from the Prophet Mohammed.

So would it be incorrect to call them Saudis R26? Or is Arabians a better term?

R27 They are not Sauds, they are Hashemis, which would be the correct term for the clan that rules Jordan. Western artificial designations, especially in tribal societies, are incorrect.

R12 That is because Palestinians ARE Jordoanians. There was never an independent Palestinian identity until they decide to weaponize it against the Indigenous Jewish population reclaiming their stolen land from the Arabs.

R5- He is cute.

Who's had him?

Omg I hope my baby the Crown Prince Hussein is safe. He’s dreamy.

[quote] [R27] They are not Sauds, they are Hashemis, which would be the correct term for the clan that rules Jordan.

LOL, yes, but that wasn't what I was asking.

I was asking what nationality were the Hashemis before they wound up in Jordan. Would it be correct to call them Saudis? Or Arabians? Or something else?

Palestinians/Palestine are political constructs being used just as the Romans used Palestina. To annihilate the Jews, their history and their connection to the region.

Jordan is also a political construct. It didn't exist before 1922. But the Brits decided to reward the Hashemis with land that wasn't theirs to give away.

My FAVORITE Arabs are from IRAQ.

I'm terrible but those photos of NAKED Iraqi men in Abu Ghraib- HOT

There are also photos of Naked Iraqi men who were caught looting by American soldiers and in order to be taught a lesson they were paraded NAKED.

They had BEAUTIFUL asses.

R18 we recently did a corporate discount deal with Qatar Airways and in spelling out the discounts by region they make reference to The Levant. None of my colleagues had a clue what that meant.

[quote]I was asking what nationality were the Hashemis before they wound up in Jordan. Would it be correct to call them Saudis? Or Arabians? Or something else?

The whole concept of "nationality" as understood in the West doesn't exist in tribal or Muslim socieities. Their identity is Hashemi. When the Hashemis got kicked out of the Arabian peninsula, Saudi Arabia didn't exist and only came into existence when the Sauds consolidated their power, ergo Saudi Arabia.

You're being disingenuous R36

What would you call people who were originally from the Arabian peninsula if you were to describe them?

Arabians? Saudis? Arabs?

R36 I would not use Western terminology/designations to describe tribal people. That's why I keep saying Hashemis.

^^^ R37 ^^^

So I guess "not from around these parts" would work for you then R38

R12 " to weaponize it against the Indigenous Jewish population reclaiming their stolen land from the Arabs." LOL You mean that indigenous Jewish population who moved to Israel from Russia and Brooklyn? And it was Britain that gave Israel to Jewish emigres just like they gave Jordan to the Arabs.

R40 Uh, no. But attempting to fit tribal societies into a Western mold is incorrect. Like the term "Arab", yet another Western construct, a catch-all for people from the Near/Middle East.

Queen Noor = Meghan Markle

[quote]You mean that indigenous Jewish population

That indigenous population who had been exiled by Roman and Muslim conquerers.

[quote]And it was Britain that gave Israel to Jewish emigres just like they gave Jordan to the Arabs.

Yes, the War of Independence was the Brits "giving Israel to Jewish emigres".

An interesting thread, with some insightful posts. R36 is correct, "nationality" in the Middle East is not a concept as those from Europe understand it.

PLEASE remember that the borders throughout the Middle East are artificial constructs created by Britain and France during World War 1. Before the war, there was the Ottoman Empire, governed from what we now call Turkey.

Britain and France, in planning on being victorious, envisioned a world without the Ottoman Empire and secretly created different countries throughout the Middle East. The countries were designed to create strife and divvy-up natural resources.

Much of what was planned was approved in Paris, 1919. In Europe, the end of the Austro-Hungarian Empire created many new nations. EXCEPT people did understand "nationalities" - so borders created places like Hungary and Austria.

Then there are the losers... Armenians and Kurds - they wanted nations and made requests in Paris, 1919 - but things did not go well for them.

The above has a number of generalizations but is accurate for a quick post.

R37 is laughably ignorant re world history. Pitiful.

[QUOTE] I'm terrible but those photos of NAKED Iraqi men in Abu Ghraib- HOT

R34 if you were seriously hot and bothered looking at those pictures, then calling you “terrible” would be an understatement.

[quote]calling you “terrible” would be an understatement.

True, but it's a start.

[quote] So if Israel were to annex Jordan, the Palestinians would finally have somewhere to call their own?

No, because they’d start filling the place with beanie rangers from Brooklyn, planting prefab housing and maybe sone eurotrash shops.

R44 who got his ass kicked out of Palestine by the Romans.... proving once again that Israelis are beyond ridiculous: a bunch of religious fanatics who expect the US taxpayer to keep financing their real estate deals land grabs. A whole country full of Trumps.

R41 Yes, the Jews who lived in exile in Russia, and Yemen, and Iran, and Tunisia. Why do people only ever focus on Jews who were exiled in Europe when plenty of Jews living in the middle east also returned to their native lands in Judea aka Israel.

R50 having a rant about those fucking Jews stealing American money. Yet remains silent about the billions America gives to homo-murdering regimes.

He was very cute when younger...looking a little rough now.

Israel is as much of a modern political construct as Palestine.

[Quote] That is because Palestinians ARE Jordoanians. There was never an independent Palestinian identity until they decide to weaponize it against the Indigenous Jewish population reclaiming their stolen land from the Arabs.

Indigenous Jews? Yeah, right

The amount of antisemitism on DL never ceases to amaze me.

It can't all be coming from the Half Palestinian Troll, can it?

The amount of Israel boosting on the DL, encouraging a bunch of rightwing religious zealots and their fascist conman leader Bibi, is revolting.

The amount of anal leakage on DL never ceases to amaze me. Do you bitches eat anything BUTT fiber? Be careful not to sit on a cock on your way to work tomorrow. You slutty sluts ❤️.

I've interviewed Queen Noor and she in no way resembles the vapid loon, M. Markle.

R56 it's horrible. Also, why are fuckheads yapping about Markle in this thread? Her haters are fucking psychotic.

Just to tie things up: Hazmeh appears to have capitulated.

Wait, so the son led a coup against his father and has now given up, have I got that right?

No you do not have it 'right' R62. But I don't feel like typing the explanation... google is your friend.

The little half-brother led a coup against the King no doubt inspired by his pushy mother and failed. Their Auntie spilled the beans on twitter.

R62, it's half-brother vs. half-brother.

Prince Hamzah and his Ma will be moving to Montecito soon and discussing all their suffering with Oprah.

Noor can certainly afford it. Her husband took a large chunk of US taxpayers’ $$$ and gave it to Noor.

The Panama Papers revealed that Noor had close to $80 million stashed in offshore accounts.

The Auntie also leaked Noor has a rich boyfriend who's up to no good.

[quote]The Jordanian royal family are Hashemis (that's why it's known as the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan) not Sauds. The Hashemis were kicked out of Saudi Arabia by the Sauds, who were the stronger clan. The Brits gifted the Hashemis half of "Mandated Palestine" in 1922, which became known as Transjordan and then Jordan.

This 100%. No one ever talks about the fact that 50% of Mandate Palestine was ALREADY given to the Arabs: Transjordan AKA Jordan. And the 1947 UN Partition plan was about to give them another country at the same time establish Israel. The greedy assholes wanted the whole thing and started a war.

The reality is the Arabs (who didn't call themselves "Palestinians" until 1967, already had one country and were offered a 2nd but were still not satisfied.

R69 hey, Bibi, are you finally going to prison?

Anyone with Google can clearly read that everything said in R69 is historical fact, but R70 would rather just name-call. How mature.

welcome to the DL, Mossad!

I wonder what kind of threats were made for Hamzeh to give in. As soon as they said the uncle would mediate between them there was only one outcome. Abdullah and his family are still too powerful despite Hamzeh being so popular with Jordanians.

Hamzeh is popular because the former King and Noor were beloved.

do the Jordanians know Noor salted away a massive fortune in offshore accounts? Money that was supposed to go to Jordan - not her.

Noor has had good work done.

R75 provide the link or STFU.

The Panama Papers R77

Since lazy R77 is unable to execute a simple search, here you go.

There is another site that includes an additional offshore stash.

I do hope Noor declared all those offshore accounts to the IRS and filed her FATCA papers with the Treasury Dept, otherwise ain't no way she's going to get asylum in the US.