In response to periodic protests in Jordan, King Abdullah II sacked his entire cabinet and swore in a new one last week, announcing that the new government would be required to implement reforms. However, many Jordanians are skeptical that this reworked cabinet is anything more than new faces. American officials flew to Amman Feb. 14 to reassure Abdullah of US support and urge him to enact reforms to avoid the fate of Mubarak, the Washington Post reported.
While Egypt’s and Yemen’s protests are closely linked to anger over corruption and a lack of political reform, Jordan’s protests seem mostly tied to economic concerns – unemployment and rising prices. It seems unlikely that the protests mean an end for the king, as criticism has mostly not been targeted at the monarchy.
