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Source: http://washingtoninstitute.org/templateC05.php?CID=3405
Jordan: All Quiet on the Eastern Front?
(Washington Institute for Near East Policy) David Schenker - The Jordanian parliament is voting on 42 proposed changes to the kingdom's constitution in a reform project by King Abdullah aimed at preempting the kind of protests that brought down regimes in Egypt and Tunisia. By being proactive on the political reform front, the monarchy has put itself "ahead of the curve" for now. The kingdom's perennial economic woes will be more difficult to remedy, but if Gulf Cooperation Council pledges are met, the generous financial assistance should likewise help ameliorate the immediate crisis. Jordan is not another Egypt, where populist politics have embraced disdain for the peace treaty with Israel since the revolution. King Abdullah remains publicly committed to the Jordanian treaty with the Jewish state. For the time being, King Abdullah seems to have come up with a formula to ensure stability and secure the realm. The writer is director of the Program on Arab Politics at The Washington Institute.