Introduction
Terrorism is a significant problematic issue in today’s global society. For instance, the Institute for Economics and Peace reports that in 2017, more than 25,600 people became victims of terrorist attacks (p. 2). Some countries are more exposed to such unlawful activities than other ones. For instance, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is under threat constantly due to its geographical proximity to Syria and Iraq, which are among the regions most affected by terrorism (Institute for Economics and Peace 2). However, the country takes significant actions to eliminate the current problematic issue.
The central problem of this research is the role of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and its king, Abdullah II, in the fight against terrorism. The study suggests that Jordan’s government has implemented vital policies and regimes that have allowed the country to maintain its stability and support the war on terror. The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan strives to maintain a relatively liberal government system compared to neighboring lands, which is one of the factors contributing to its success in minimizing the effects of terrorism (Yom, p. 3). The importance of the topic is determined by the acuteness of the problem within the region and globally. The data presented above suggest that it is vital to implement strategies aimed to preserve peace in the countries affected by it; Jordan’s example can be significant to understand the importance of these strategies. The goal of this research is to outline the policies the country’s government has implemented to address this challenging issue and discuss its role in eliminating terrorism. The paper features a literature review on the topic and presents the analysis of the findings. The report concludes that Jordan’s government has taken appropriate actions to address the problem but needs to implement necessary changes to resolve existing challenges within its society.
Literature Review
The sources selected for the literature review are the studies by Yitzhak and Yom. The primary purpose of Yitzhak’s work is to discuss how the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan maintains the stability of its regime and minimizes terrorism using intelligence (p. 213). The potential research question of the study is: How Jordanian intelligence has been used to protect the Hashemite regime and prevent terrorism? The main thesis of the paper is that the country’s policies in addressing these issues include establishing close relationships with Western countries and addressing the issues related to refugees and their integration (Yitzhak, p. 230). In addition, the study refers to the challenges presented by Jordan’s economic situation, as well as military and political issues.
The findings of the research show that the country has been successful in eliminating the effects of terrorism. The ties with Western intelligence agencies have allowed the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to protect its regime from internal and external threats, including those presented by the Salafi movement and the Muslim Brotherhood (Yitzhak, p. 229). The king plays a significant role in developing the country’s policies as he is directly responsible for campaigns and strategies the country implements. Notably, King Abdullah has been criticized for his approaches as he is considered unable to respond to the country’s challenges, including poverty and the consequences of the Arab Spring (Yitzhak, pp. 222-223). However, the government’s actions towards eliminating the effects of terrorism have built the foundations of stability in the kingdom.
The study by Yom discusses Jordanian politics in general, including those aimed to address and minimize terrorism. The primary purpose of the research is to examine the existing socio-political and economic shifts, as well as the government’s regime that allows the kingdom to preserve peace (Yom, p. 299). The research question of the study is: What is the regime of the Hashemite Kingdom and what are the main social challenges the country has encountered? The thesis of the paper is that Jordan has implemented various strategies aimed to address global terrorism, organized crime, and espionage (Yom, p. 291). The findings of the study show that the ruler’s focus on the West has allowed for various neoliberal initiatives. King Abdullah holds the most individual power and has a significant influence on the country’s policies. Although Jordan has managed to minimize terrorism by aligning with Western countries and receiving appropriate training, it has encountered several challenges. The study concludes that the country is undergoing significant socio-political and economic changes and its government should continue to implement necessary political reforms to maintain a regime that can minimize terrorism.
It is possible to say that the sources show similar findings. The authors agree that the country’s relationships with the West and the policies aimed to address immigration have has a significant impact on its position. The king has played a crucial role in implementing necessary approaches to minimize local and global terrorism. At the same time, both studies report that some actions need to be taken to address Jordan’s current challenges as they present obstacles to preserving peace.
Analysis I
It is possible to say that the intuitive answer to the research question was confirmed. The studies show that Jordan’s authorities, including the King, have played a vital role in addressing terrorism locally and globally. The country shows significant operational capabilities and has an active intelligence apparatus that allows it to identify and target unlawful activities of this type (Rothe 29). The selected studies have proven that the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan has shown success in preventing itself from possible threats placed by internal and external factors. In addition, the country has made significant progress in combatting Islamic terrorism by developing relationships with Western agencies (Yitzhak 229). It is necessary to mention, however, that the intuitive answer to the research question did not consider the existing challenges of Jordan. The country’s economic and political situation and their link to Jordan’s ability to minimize terrorism had not been analyzed thoroughly. However, it is possible to conclude that the primary assumptions regarding Jordan’s and the King’s role in the combat against terrorism were supported by the findings of the study.
Analysis II
The critical evidence suggests that the research conclusion is supported by the evaluated findings, including the study by Rothe. The selected studies refer to the research question and analyze it in detail, reflecting on the background of the country’s policies from social, political, and economic perspectives. Both works discuss not only the positive aspects of the issue but the ones that require the government’s attention while concluding that Jordan’s actions towards combatting terrorism have been successful. In addition, the claims of the authors are supported by other studies in the field too. For instance, Rabie reports that the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan’s efforts to combat terrorism include anti-terrorism legislation, the establishment of institutions and international relationships aimed to address this issue, and joining international coalitions (65, 70). These findings correspond with the primary assumptions of this paper and the information found during the literature review.
Conclusion I
Terrorism remains a significant problem, especially in some of the Arab countries, where it affects many individuals. However, some of the governments of the region have taken action to minimize the effects of this challenging issue; the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is one of them. The research problem was to analyze the role of Jordan and its king in the combat against terrorism. This topic was selected for the investigation as the country has shown significant progress in preserving peace and establishing the appropriate regime to protect itself from internal and external threats. The literature review on the issue suggested that the primary role of the government and King Abdullah II in eliminating terrorism was establishing relationships with Western agencies and addressing the problem of immigration. In addition, Jordan’s intelligence agencies have protected the country from threats posed by the Salafi movement and the Muslim Brotherhood.
The most surprising findings are that although the government’s policies seem feasible and appropriate, they have been largely criticized and considered ineffective in addressing existing challenges of Jordanian society that affect the prevalence of terrorism implicitly. This finding was unexpected because all studies featured in the paper concluded that the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan had taken necessary actions to address the issue and preserve peace.
Conclusion II
The findings presented in the paper have various political implications. First, they suggest that although Jordan has been following an appropriate strategy in minimizing terrorism, its government and the king should address the challenges that exist in the society as well. It means that the country should potentially shift its focus from the relationships with the Western agencies to the problems that may lead to the spread of terrorism. Second, it is possible to suggest that the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan may need to revise its current regime. The reason for it is that the king is highly responsible for the country’s decisions while other governmental bodies do not have as much power, which may affect the appropriateness of policies. In addition, the findings of the literature review reveal that currently, the country’s international relationships are one of the main tools it can utilize to minimize terrorism. It means that Jordan should continue to strengthen its position not only in relations with the Western agencies but in the Arab world.
Works Cited
- Institute for Economics and Peace. Global Terrorism Index. 2017.
- Rabie, Ziad. “Jordan Role in Compacting International Terrorism.” Journal of Politics & Law, vol. 9, no. 9, 2016, pp. 65-76.
- Rothe, Chris. Jordan and the New Front in the Fight Against ISIS. 2015, Web.
- Yitzhak, Ronen. “The War Against Terrorism and For Stability of the Hashemite Regime: Jordanian Intelligence Challenges in the 21st Century.” International Journal of Intelligence and Counterintelligence, vol. 29, no. 2, 2016, pp. 213-235.
- Yom, Sean. “The New Landscape of Jordanian Politics: Social Opposition, Fiscal Crisis, and the Arab Spring.” British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies, vol. 42, no. 3, 2014, pp. 284-300.