Jordan's future hangs in the balance

While Tunisia and Egypt were mired in protests and upheaval, western observers felt that the rumblings in Jordan would eventually quiet. However, public protests continue throughout the kingdom, due in large part to the king and his men having miscalculated how to deal with this kind of public dissent, says Temple assistant professor of political science Sean Yom in an opinion piece. "That the regime has missed the reform boat is bad enough. However, the current crisis also stems from its equally precarious tactic of exploiting social tensions in hopes of fragmenting popular pressure," he said.
March 31, 2011 | Foreign Policy