Not really one cultural center, more like varying locations of power and control. Until now, Jordan has not been a major player. Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Iran are the regional players. Egypt has the world connections where they're seen as moderates. Saudi Arabia is not well liked on the world stage and not progressive at all, but they have oil and the holy sites. Syria is a major transport hub for drugs and terrorists (and they control Lebanon). Iran has it's fingers in every pie from terrorism to nuclear research to just being a massive country of Arab influence. The way it looks (from this and other actions), Jordan is stressing it's direct lineage, it's good relations with the world powers and it's ability to work with the traditional Arab enemy to become a power player. It's showing the world that it can work with Israel better than Egypt can (they are doing a better job in stopping weapons, etc.). It's showing that it supports the Arab Palestinian cause (as most of its population are Palestinian Arabs). It's showing that it has everything to be the Arab ally that the west wants and that the Arab world can still call their own. They're doing a good balance. It could be tied up with the kings expected death. It could be tied up with the ending of the Israeli/Arab conflicts. It could be tied up with the war on terrorism. It could be a lot of things. Point is, they're doing it and they're a player to watch.
> So you're saying that while "Arabia" is a group of many countries such > as Egypt, Jordan, and Syria, there is one cultural center which, up to > now, has been Saudi Arabia. Probably because of Mecca, Medina, and > the oil wealth? > > But, you think that as the old King slips on the final banana peel, > Jordan is vying for that role? And you think that they're positioning > themselves because they will be able to rightly claim the best > relations with both Arabs and the West? > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Special thanks to the CF Community Suite Gold Sponsor - CFHosting.net http://www.cfhosting.net Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:5:136016 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/5 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:5 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=11502.10531.5 Donations & Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
