Jordan National Movement

King Abdullah II: Corrupt, Absolute and Thuggish Dictator

JNM, Amman, Jordan (Thursday, November 22, 2007): King Abdullah II’s games of holding fake, tribal and violent Parliament elections have been reported now all over the world. For the records and the civilized world to witness, widespread and significant fraud and vote rigging have occurred in the Hashemite Kingdom of Corruption lead by the illustrious King Abdullah II. The General Intelligence Department (GID) in Amman received direct orders from the king to target and interfere in specific geographical classes of people, electoral districts and polling stations. For example, in Amman, Zarqa and Aqaba provinces, hundreds of security agents, in civilian clothes, were seen in buses moving from one polling station to another voting multiple times for pro-regime candidates. The GID has already specified these districts and polling stations that they must interfere in to defeat independent and opposition candidates. Further, the Ministry of Interior, lead by the donkey Eid Al-Fayez, used the computing power of PCs to manipulate results and sway election in several provinces, cities and towns in the country. And stuffing ballot boxes and absurd schemes of voter intimidation were also spotted in several important polling stations across this corrupt Kingdom. Eyewitnesses in the town of Al-Hashmiah, Zarqa Province, confirmed to JNM in Amman that Nawrs Khreisah, appointed County Supervisor and Chairman of the Elections Committee in this town,  received from Nawaf Al-Mualla, a tribal candidate, a sum of JD35,000 ($50,000) in exchange for stuffing 1000 votes for Al-Mualla in ballot boxes located in the city of Al-Suqnah. A large crowd of protesters are now roaming the streets of Al-Hashmiah waiting for this corrupt official to beat him up.

Fahad Al-Khitan, Editor-in-Chief of Al-Arab Al-Yawm daily newspaper, wrote today (November 22, 2007) that many “violations took place in particular electoral districts, where Islamists are running for these elections….independent press reports stressed that underage voters were allowed to vote…independent monitors witnessed that hundreds of people with fake IDs have been able to vote…the Ministry of Interior caught more than 20 individuals responsible for producing these forged identification cards.” He added, “The major factor that defeated Islamists in many districts is the transferring process of thousands of votes…these votes have been easily sold on the day of elections in the biggest ever operation of vote-buying in Jordan's history…”. Mr. Al-Khitan said, “Near polling stations, there were transportation buses, filled with hundreds of voters, coming from poor neighborhoods in Amman…these voters were seen entering polling stations and voting (orally) for particular candidates…as soon as voters exited these stations, they received a final payment of cash money from representatives of candidates, waiting outside the building…same process occurred in other electoral districts across the country…one monitor said that more than 40 candidates won these Parliament elections via vote-buying.” Further, a scientific poll conducted by the University of Jordan's Centre for Strategic Studies (CSS), between October 17, 2007 and November 2, 2007, revealed that “more than three-quarters said they were aware of the phenomenon (vote-buying), out of which 66.3 per cent said vote buying was taking place in their districts.”

Yes, Parliament elections in Jordan were stolen and fixed by King Abdullah II and his corrupt officials and Gestapo-like security forces.

-The Center for Strategic Studies (CSS) at the University of Jordan announced the results of its November 07 scientific poll: 37 percent of the surveyed citizens demand a change in the current elections law http://www.jordannationalmovement.org/Flaws in Jordans Elections Law Dec 8 2006.doc, and 50 percent expressed dissatisfaction with the performance of the previous Parliament. Comments re: the results of this poll: http://www.jordantimes.com/index.php?news=3574.

--Well-respected Journalist Rana Sabagh wrote in Al-Arab Al-Yawm daily newspaper, on Saturday, November 17, 2007, that the “Fakeness of candidates’ slogans, running for Parliament elections on November 22, the unprecedented spending on buying votes by many candidates and their appointed representatives, and the massive and systematic transferring process of registered voters from one district to another to support pro-government candidates will change and flip the electoral equation upside down…” She added, “The current [tribal] elections law http://www.jordannationalmovement.org/Flaws in Jordans Elections Law Dec 8 2006.doc has drifted the elections process down the drain…it has stripped every electoral district from any meaningful political or legislative purpose…the aim of this law was to weaken Islamists, however, it has produced Parliament members whose main concerns lie with personal and clans’ interests rather than legislative, economic and political reforms…”

--Today, Ayman Al-Safadi, from the daily Al-Ghad newspaper, wrote, “The government [of King Abdullah II] contributed to the disfiguring and damaging process of the political tools and applications when it insisted that the 1993 elections law must not be changed…this law has crystallized and solidified tribalism and individualism, and prevented establishing effective and quality political parties that voters can choose their representatives from based on transparent political and practical programs..."

--Journalist Samih Mayttah made it clear in his article, appeared in Al-Ghad daily newspaper on Saturday, November 17, 2007, that “The government has done very little to prevent the rampant vote-buying…all it has done was issuing empty threats with little backing and practical measures on the street….”

---In a workshop held at the Yarmouk University on Friday November 16, Dr. Mohammad Bani Salamh, Professor of Political Science at this University, said, “Democracy in Jordan has been kidnapped by those wealthy people whose main concern is to harness Parliament, political parties and newspapers, to serve their own personal interests…poor citizens (selling their votes for money) are being used by those rich candidates as cosmetic and incredible witnesses to push political events and reforms backward….”

Our say: Indeed, King Abdullah II is behind all of this mess. He has refused to change the elections law and pressured his handpicked government to follow his absolute directives. Any member of the cabinet refuses such orders will be thrown out and their political life will end indefinitely. King Abdullah II is not a partner for freedom and peace, and definitely is not an anti terrorism ruler. He contributes to the spread of terrorism in a different way, very similar to what the military dictator Musharaf has been doing in Pakistan: Repressing the people of Jordan to keep holding his absolute grip on power in Amman…the outcome simply more evil terrorists being created on streets of Jordan, and eventually exported to the outside world to create havoc and bloodshed…Shame on you, your Majesty!

A Sample of the Demagogy of New Parliament Candidates in Jordan: Refuse to Stand in Line to Register Their Names for November 20^th Elections

King Abdullah II and President Musharaf of Pakistan: Thuggish Dictators in Fancy Civilian Clothes!

JNM, Amman-Jordan (Friday, November 9, 2007):  King Abdullah II has new nicknames! The common people in the street call him Luai (playboy) and Al-Maniak (gay), but the professional and educated citizens describe him as a faceless and dishonorable man who keeps lying, not just to the Jordanian people, but also to the civilized world as well.   

A few weeks ago, King Abdullah II ordered his military court not to release Dr. Al-Abbadi’s file so his lawyers won’t be able to appeal the verdict, issued against Dr. Al-Abbadi (read news story below), to the  Court of Cassation...just another example of many that proves how vicious and absurd the absolute monarchy system in Jordan is…

On the other hand, King Abdullah II ordered his unelected government to limit the monitoring scheme of Parliament elections (scheduled to take place on Nov. 20th) by the Alliance of Civil Society (composed of 11 Jordan-based human rights and opposition groups). According to the donkey Minister of Interior Eid Al-Fayez, “this Alliance is allowed only to monitor these elections from outside the polling stations….their role is limited to watch from a distance…they are not allowed to attend elections tallying process or the announcements of election results…”

Further, King Abdullah II ordered his corrupt government and its bribed judges to prevent the outspoken former MP, Tawjan Faisal, from running again in the imminent yet already compromised Parliament elections. The reason, according to one of these judges, is ludicrous: She has been convicted (on misdemeanor charges) and imprisoned by King Abdullah II’s military court, a few years ago, for blasting and accusing senior officials in the government and royal family of corruption and nepotism.

So what is the difference between King Abdullah II and President Musharaf of Pakistan? Nothing: Both are thuggish dictators whose main concern is to hold their grip on power regardless of the cost to the respected citizens in Jordan and Pakistan.

Civilians Protesting Aganist King Abdullah II's Illegal and Absurd Intervention in Municipality Elections

Islamists and Jordanians of Palestinian Origin Pulled Out of Lines by Force and Prevented From Voting

JNM, Amman-Jordan (Tuesday, July 31, 2007): Municipality elections in Jordan were rigged and marred by widespread fraud. These elections were held purely for showing the world that King Abdullah II is pro democracy and political reforms. The truth: These elections have no political purpose and lack the fundamental basis of legitimacy and democracy.

Election ballot fraud in Jordan's municipality elections must be taken seriously. The facts are as follows

1. The Islamic Action Front (IAF) of Muslim Brotherhood has withdrawn all of its candidates. Many independent candidates, not supported by the corrupt regime of King Abdullah II, withdrew as well.

2. Tens of thousands of active security and military personnel, soldiers and even naval officers rode vans and buses from military barracks and governmental buildings, to poll stations to cast their ballots in today’s elections for predetermined (pro absolute monarchy) and tribal candidates, based on orders (military style), from their commanders and the General Intelligence Directorate (GID).

3. As soon as people noticed these buses, they started protesting, but security forces were onsite (as part of the despicable plan) to prevent this public outrage by force.

4. Elections in several cities have been postponed due to low turn out and violence instigated by the unelected government of King Abdullah II. Fierce protests in several major cities, town and villages occurred because of embarrassing irregularities and forgery.

5. Parliamentary and municipality elections take place in Jordan based on the tribal system: one person, one vote, introduced and ratified by a Royal Decree in August 1993. More info on this absurd system: http://www.jordannationalmovement.org/Flaws in Jordans Elections Law Dec 8 2006.doc

For further information, please stay tuned….

King Abdullah II Now in Canada Spreading Endless Lies to the Global Community!

JNM, Amman-Jordan (Sunday, July 15, 2007): King Abdullah II, the unaccountable king and new dictator in the Middle East, must not be ashamed of himself…under his leadership, the current rotten state of affairs in Jordan has risen exponentially and on a grand scale…he and members of the royal family in Amman have brought upon Jordan misery and anarchy through their greed and lust for unlimited power. The root of the problem is the policy of the king, including his cohorts and henchmen, of concentrating absolutely uncontrolled power in their own hands, allegedly for the sake of reform. It is already becoming obvious that this much power is turning, inevitably, into “mafia rule.”

The showcase of radical economic reforms, admired by international financial organizations such as the World Bank and IMF, that King Abdullah II is selling and advertising now to the local and international audiences, are not coupled and supported by genuine political reforms. Not only the king condones corruption, he dabbled in it himself. In Jordan, the very absolute monarchical system is unaccountable and corrupt: Whereas the people of Jordan pay high income and sales taxes to the unelected government, King Abdullah II and the royal family are immune from doing the same. Also, the king appoints Prime Minister, Ministers, members of the Senate and has refused to amend Parliament elections law that has been designed to attract tribal leaders, Sheikhs and unprofessional legislators so he can enjoy little resistance from this type of legislative body.

Economic reforms and transparency will go nowhere without genuine freedom: freedom of the press, speech and freedom to elect our own government in Amman!

JNM, Amman-Jordan (Sunday, July 1, 2007): In an interview with Al-Ghad Daily Newspaper, King Abdullah II dodged a direct question from the Editor-in-Chief, Ayman Al-Saffadi, re: the next Parliament elections in Jordan. Here is a full translation of the question and the king’s embarrassing answer:

Question: Your Majesty, please let me go back to the internal affair, specifically the subject of Parliament elections: There are opinions out there say that the (current) elections law will bring forth (new) Parliament that is similar to the current one. What do you think, your Majesty?

Answer: We have always tried to support and sustain the democratic march in Jordan. We are still hoping that we have political parties that possess transparent programs and policies that focus on people’s diverse problems, economic and social...these programs need to be serious and practical, and put before voters for their judgment and blessing...eventually this is to beef up the democratic march and the principal of participation and pluralism. We look forward to seeing genuine (political) parties that have the base and power to win the confidence of people to elect their own candidates; however, many parties have not been proactive to win the confidence of people.

At the end, we need strong Parliament that meets our inspirations and ambitions, and stand up for the problems we are facing....we have always betted on the maturity of our people to participate in the decision making process by voting and choosing the best for the current stage. Elections are coming up this year...I have said this right from the beginning that there will be municipal and parliamentarian elections....this is what will happen.

We want to push elections in Jordan in the right direction....so the citizen has the ability to discern between those who can serve and support the development process and those who cannot...we want the votes of Jordanians to surpass the negatives and barriers that face us and the region.

I call upon and depend on all Jordanians youth to participate and vote effectively in the next Parliament elections to achieve our vision, which is the same as their ambition and vision, to build Jordan....

Our say:

Notice the king’s answer: he is the ultimate decider! He avoided answering this good question. King Abdullah II wants this and that to happen….he wants the people of Jordan to do whatever he pleases…he decides when elections take place…he decides when municipality elections occur…he decides what the Jordanian people must do and must no do….what kind of King we have in Jordan? Why does not he allow the people of Jordan to decide on their own…why does not he step aside (constitutional monarchy) and let the people control their destiny….simply put: King Abdullah II is a thuggish dictator, lies to the watching world, not ashamed of himself and very careless of what other people think of him.

Here are the facts:

-- No single change in the political, economic, legislative and/or social arenas takes place and shapes in the country without the blessing and direct involvement of King Abdullah II and his intelligence community!

--In March 2007, King Abdullah II ratified the Law of Penalties that allows for the prosecution and imprisonment of journalist(s) and individual(s) who commit action or publish an opinion that represents an insult to people’s religious sentiments or beliefs, instigates sectarianism or racism, slanders or libels against the state, individuals or their personal freedoms and spreads false information or rumors about them. This law forbids sending emails that carry criticism of the king and royal family, stressing such emails must be considered as a form of terrorism: The punishment is 3 years in prison plus hard labor. This law represents the Hashemite dictatorship at its best! 

--King Abdullah II has refused to amend or change the current Parliamentarian elections law, a very unfair and controversial piece of legislation, criticized by many domestic and international observers and experts on national elections, King Abdullah II reported in Al-Arab Al-Yawm Newspaper, on Tuesday, May 15, 2007, that “the government decided not to change the current Parliamentarian elections law,” which is a fabricated response designed to mislead the public and international community since the government in Jordan is appointed directly and fully controlled by the king. Read this news report re: this issue, published by the Jordan Times Newspaper, on December 8-9, 2006: http://www.jordannationalmovement.org/Flaws in Jordans Elections Law Dec 8 2006.doc.

-- Recent polls reported from Amman about the state of Jordan in the political and economic arenas are staggering. These numbers came from a scientific questionnaire conducted by the Centre for Strategic Studies (CSS) at the University of Jordan in Amman in July of 2003: 73.5% of those people surveyed have witnessed “vote buying” during the last parliamentarian elections. On a scale of 1 to 10, interviewees rated democracy in Jordan at 5.45. Furthermore, 83.2% of the surveyed people believed that they will be put in jail if they criticize the government; 88.8% of people polled stressed that they want to live in freedom, governed by a democratic system that guarantees justice, equality, civil liberties, and economic prosperity among all Jordanians. More than 42% of respondents think that the current Parliament is nothing but a rubber stamp, and, therefore, irrelevant.

--The following numbers and facts came from a very recent scientific survey conducted by the Centre for Strategic Studies (CSS) at the University of Jordan from July 12, 2006-December 14, 2006. The results of this questionnaire were made public on Tuesday, January 2, 2007: “The Jordanian public…holds a favorable view of political reform (defined here as the transition to more democratic models of governance) with more than 80% of respondents holding the view that political reform will improve their family’s living standards.”  Further, significant proportion of interviewees (40%) made it very clear that “the best system of governance for Jordan is one in which the governing authority is elected, guarantees political freedoms, and empowers parliament to oversee governing powers and hold them to account.” As far as the current bribed Parliament is concerned, this questionnaire made it very obvious that “More than 50% of respondents held the view that the [current] Chamber of Deputies [Parliament] did not fulfill its role in holding the government to account, communicating with citizens and representing their concerns, monitoring governmental activities and performing its legislative role. All this suggests that there is a public crisis of confidence regarding the Chamber of Deputies’ performance.”

-- King Abdullah told the late news anchor Peter Jennings of ABC news on Tuesday, March 15, 2005, that he is open to constitutional monarchy (http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/story?id=583538&page=1); however, since that famous interview, King Abdullah has become more thuggish and dictatorial!

Ladies and Gentlemen: Above is a brief bio of the illustrious King Abdullah II of Jordan: The new dictator of the Middle East!

And this is what he has done re: Dr. Al-Abbadi:

1. He has ordered the arrest of Dr. Al-Abbadi, Former Member of Parliament and Chairman of the Jordan National Movement (JNM), and refused to allow the designated Judge and Amman Public Prosecutor to release him on bail under any circumstances and despite the fact that the existing laws in Jordan prohibit and stand against such barbaric, monarchical action.

2. In a private, recent meeting in Amman, Mr. Eid Al-Fayez, Minister of Interior, who was criticized of corruption by Dr. Al-Abbadi a few weeks ago, stated to the effect that he has been pressured from very important people above him (referring to the king and members of royal family) to sue Dr. Al-Abbadi. Al-Fayez stressed that he is not interested to pursue or take any legal action whatsoever against Dr. Al-Abbadi.

3. When he was asked to interfere in Dr. Al-Abbadi’s case, the appointed Prime Minister, Marouf Al-Bakhit said, privately, “if I do, I will be going home the next day (terminated by the king).”

Now, who is the real bluffer and violator of the basic and international standards of human rights? Who is the thuggish dictator who is not ashamed to lie and speak with double-face to the people in Jordan and abroad? Who is the real human rights abuser that has dared to take brutal actions against those people who defend freedom of expression and cracked the whip on opposition to absolute monarchy in Jordan? Who is the evil dictator who has been intimidating civil rights activists and journalists in the country? Who is the one who makes people pay tax, but he does not?

Ladies and gentlemen: He is King Abdullah II of Jordan!

JNM, Amman-Jordan (Sunday, April 22, 2007): For a desperately poor country, Jordan’s current leadership has proved weak and untrustworthy. King Abdullah II’s local and foreign policies have had a deeply damaging structural impact on Jordanians. The royal family in Jordan has lost its moorings. The royal family rings hollow. The royal family is self-serving. Leaders restore moorings. And King Abdullah II, a man deeply unmoored, is precisely not the man to revitalize peace and lead Jordan and its citizens in the Middle East and at the world stage.

Over the past couple of days, two major stories emerged from Jordan: On Friday, April 20, 2007, King Abdullah II told the Israeli Haaretz Newspaper that he “favored the payments over granting Palestinian refugees and their millions of descendants the right to return to the West Bank and Gaza.” In the same interview, he scolded Dr. Amro Moussa, the Arab League Secretary-General, by saying “leave him (Dr. Moussa) to me” and insisted that the Arab Initiative issued by the Arab Summit held in Saudi Arabia last month is merely “talking points” and Israel has the “right to veto” any clause in this Initiative. Also, King Abdullah II stated that if we leave things as they are, Iran will reach to the Jordan River. The King is desperately trying to score political points in Tel Aviv and Washington, after his foolish speech at the U.S. Congress in March, 2007, by showing the decision makers in these capitals, that he is the only Arab ruler who can make peace with, understand and show sympathy to the Israeli side. The king needs to understand that Israel needs genuine, warm and comprehensive peace with all Arab countries. Israel needs lasting peace with the Arab people, not these thuggish and exposed regimes that have no respect to the fine principles of democracy, justice, human rights and freedom of expression…this is the peace that the Israeli people are looking for, not monarchical, cold peace!

On the other hand, Jordanian security forces, on Saturday, April 21, 2007, “confiscated a videotape of an Al-Jazeera (Arab Satellite Station) interview with the country's former (Crown Prince Hassan) in which the broadcaster said the Jordanian royal sharply criticized U.S. policies in the Middle East as "destructive." Ghassan Ben Jeddou, Al-Jazeera's Bureau Chief in Beirut, Lebanon, said, “the prince had also cited U.S. reports that a national security adviser in Saudi Arabia was financing Sunni militants to fight the Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah, which is based in Lebanon.” Al-Jazeera “identified the Saudi official as Prince Bandar bin Sultan, a former ambassador to Washington.”

These serious events reflect a political stream in the Hashemite family dominated by politics of despair and tainted by nonsensical thoughts and a classic case of doubletalk and doublethink. The political behavior of King Abdullah II and his uncle clearly reflect foolishness. The prince is seeking attention and the king is working towards a cold peace, even colder than the pace of consolidation of the peace accord between Egypt and Israel, which has been slow and painful on many occasions. Israeli people will never reach peace with the Arab people if their elected government signs peace treaties with these dictatorial and thuggish Arab regimes. The winning battle of peace must be achieved by the people themselves: King Abdullah II has not been elected and he does not represent or speak on behalf of the Jordanian people!

In his visits to Jordanian cities and villages, King Abdullah II does not speak much in Arabic, but relies very heavily on his staff to jot down what people say to him so his wife Queen Rania can translate these notes to Arabic for the king, later in the evening or the next day, according to reliable sources at the royal court. And when he speaks in Arabic, people laugh at him! A few months ago, King Abdullah II said in a very funny Arabic accent, on national TV, “kel wahid be saker tmoh (everyone must shut up).” People across Jordan laughed and have been very upset and shaking their heads that their unaccountable and unelected king cannot speak their own language!

Also, King Abdullah II has never showed up before local and regional Arabic speaking press conferences to avoid embarrassment due to his heavy Arabic accent and out of concern that he would not understand the questions voiced in Arabic. The same above reliable sources informed JNM that when an Arabic-based newspaper asks to interview King Abdullah II, the royal court staff asks for the questions in advance, prepares the text of answers and insists that the interview is set up as a photo opportunity and focused on very informal, unrecorded conversation.

Yes, in our own country Jordan: we have an ASL King!!!

JNM, Amman--Jordan: Unfortunately, due to mammoth corruption, lax management, abuse of foreign aid in the Hashemite royal court and appointed government: unofficial unemployment rate is currently more than 30%, more than 80% of Jordanian families are now under the poverty line, and mounting $8.4 billion foreign debt is resting on the heads and chests of the Jordanian people. This is the resume of King Abdullah II! Dr. Mohammad Al-Sqoor, member of the board of directors at the National Centre for Human Rights (NCHR), stated before King Abdullah II on Sunday, December 17, 2006, that “78 percent of Jordanian families are renting and do not own an apartment or house.” He added that “80 percent of Jordanians, even though they work full-time jobs, are ranked under the poverty column.” 

The virus of corruption is developing into a life-threatening illness for the Hashemite royal court. In recent surveys and polls of public opinion, corruption continues to rank at the top of the complaints of Jordanian citizens, with the specifics ranging from paying bribes to get employment in the government to watching from the streets as King Abdullah II and his wife Queen Rania living in palaces made in heaven, flying on private jets and touring European counties every other week and spending outrageous amounts of money on the latest fashions of clothes and jewelry. King Abdullah II is ignoring public dissatisfaction and has refused to cease his current attitude of complacency in the face of any signs of misuse of power and resources, particularly by those who are close friends to and business partners with him and the royal family. Everyday, Jordanians witness corruption as the king’s cronies, members of the royal family and intelligence community, Parliament’s bribed members, Sharifs, the royal court’s entourage vacationing on the Red Sea or drive by in luxury cars.

The great majority of Jordanian people firmly believe that as long as an overwhelming concentration of political and economic powers resides in the hands of King Abdullah II, the royal family and interlocking elites, its abuse becomes inevitable. When the people of Jordan discover that they are hopeless, digging down in the black hole of poverty and that they cannot do anything against the regime arbitrariness and massive corruption, they first feel deeply frustrated and then desperate and may resort to violence and terrorism. Inasmuch as tyranny and corruption distort the functioning economy, it also whacks its society because it leads the unelected government officials to take actions that are not in the people's best interests. Fahad Al-Khitan, a daily columnist in Al Arab Al Yawm daily newspaper, wrote today (Monday, February 19, 2007) that “the (unelected) Mayor of Amman (Omar Al Maani) appointed, just a few days go, the son of a current minister in a high-level position at Greater Amman Municipality (CNM) with very high monthly salary and generous package of benefits…another minister in the government appointed his son in a senior-level position at another ministry.” Where is the recently appointed Anti-Corruption Commission from these rotten cases of corruption? Will King Abdullah II do anything about these daily practices of massive corruption? The answer is simply negative because the king himself is corrupt!

The despicable collusion displayed by King Abdullah II towards the daily practices of corruption, abuse of power and human rights must not be condoned under any circumstances. We call upon all worldwide defenders of human rights to do everything within their power to focus upon, censure and condemn the exponential and rising corruption and human rights violations by King Abdullah II and his intelligence community. We urge the international community to exert mounting pressure on King Abdullah II to take solid steps to expand Jordanian democracy from its current embarrassing level by demonstrating more respect for the judicial community, human rights issues and freedom of expression, and not just by paying lip service to the ideals before the world,

L to R: Uday Saddam Hussein, King Abdullah II, Saddam Hussein and King Hussein

When Prince Ali, the bully half-brother and current body guard of King Abdullah II, was asked by his high school English teacher, at Salisbury School in Salisbury, Connecticut, how he spent his summer vacation in 1993, Prince Ali replied “exchanging secret letters between my father (the late King Hussein) and (the late) President Saddam Hussein of Iraq.” King Abdullah II has been doing the same. He grew up with the criminal Uday Saddam Hussein (please see picture above) and has been in training and close contact with Uday for an extended period of time. This very cozy relationship established and supported by the late King Hussein paid off. Saddam Hussein's ousted regime gave crude oil "coupons" to the Hashemite royal family, through Shaker bin Zaid bin Shaker (son of Jordan’s former appointed Prime Minister and Chief of the Armed Forces Prince Zaid bin Shaker, one of King Abdullah II’s close relatives), worth 6.5 million barrels of free oil. Saddam’s gift aimed to thank King Abdullah II’s cronies and relatives for their endless military, political and logistical support in circumventing the then UN-imposed sanctions on Iraq. Also, Saddam Hussein has distributed closed envelops of hush money to several Jordanian journalists, leftists, Jordanian Baathists, and paid in-full the cost of building a large housing community for Jordanian journalists in Amman. 

The illegal business activities between the royal family, appointed Jordanian government and the remnants of the former regime of Saddam Hussein have been growing rapidly and exponentially since Saddam Hussein assumed power in Iraq. Recently, Jordan has become a safe haven for hundreds of thousands of killers, looters and thieves of the former regime of Saddam Hussein. Many Iraqi Baathists have recently started investing the money they stole from the Iraqi people in Amman’s business markets and signed many business deals with several small and large Jordanian investment companies. According to unofficial figures (http://www.jordanembassyus.org/04172005007.htm), those individuals have invested more than $2 billion alone in Amman’s private economic sectors. These Baathists selected Amman because of its close proximity to Iraq and also due to the very warm relationship between these gangsters and their counterparts in Jordan: influential political circles and corrupt individuals in the royal court, governmental key figures, the intelligence community, the security apparatus and the press.

The international community must understand that King Abdullah II has assumed power through inheritance and is now practicing absolute monarchy in Jordan. The king appoints and terminates prime ministers and ministers as he pleases. Senior government officials are appointed based on cronyism and favoritism with clear disrespect to intellectuals and leaders of the civil society in the country. King Abdullah II has been spreading lies worldwide that he is open to constitutional monarchy (http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/story?id=583538&page=1), but he has not budged one inch towards that end. We call upon the current U.S. administration and Congress to exert greater pressure on King Abdullah II to introduce a genuine package of political and economic reforms, including relinquishing his power of appointing governments and senators. U.S. foreign aid to the appointed Jordanian government must be contingent upon introducing these critical reforms to the people of Jordan (this is one of the key recommendations appeared in this recent report: Illusive Reform: Jordan's Stubborn Stability By Julia Choucair, The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Washington, DC: http://www.carnegieendowment.org/files/cp76_choucair_final.pdf)

Otherwise, Jordan will keep on producing and exporting evil terrorists, such as