…and how the Kempinski hotel at the Dead Sea is going to help…
(click to enlarge)
Sorry to non-Flickr users. These pictures were by way of my dear sister who also suggested the title of this post. Frankly, it’s great to see that multi-national companies such as Kempinski are setting up in Jordan. It’s also great to see that they care so much for our local environment. And of course it’s always great to see that our own government is dedicated to monitoring, regulating, and protecting the environment from the private sector’s over-use or mis-use. Bring on the water parks!
But that’s ok because I guess the country with the least amount of water in the Middle East, and in the world (top 5) doesn’t need to worry about water or lack thereof. Especially since all the plans the government is gearing up for will wave a magic wand over our water woes by 2020!
Well this was my prediction for the year 2050.
Man, honestly. With all that’s going on in the region today, I can tell you one thing.
Water in Jordan is not my only worry right now. My country and all the countries around it are completely FUCKED UP from head to toe! I am fuckin ashamed of being called Jordanian today because of the lack of action from my country. And I fuckin hate everything that has to do with my country’s foreign policy and what’s making Jordan look like Israel and America’s sad bitch in the region.
People in Gaza are suffering the worst kind of human torture today and now the Lebanese population is gonna suffer as well. And what does Jordan do? Conduct military excersizes with the US. With who? The US. The US that just vetoed a UN resolution that condemns Israel’s actions.
That’s right Jordan, stay down bitch! Stay on the sideline and don’t you say a word coz you know you’re gonna get it next if you do. Fuck! I’d rather see Amman like Gaza than have to live with this kind of shame. At least people in Gaza manage to keep their dignity at the end. Sorry for the foul language.
Hamzeh, yeah we’d all love to see Amman look like Gaza….from afar
Fair enough. Let me rephrase then; replace this:
“Iâ??d rather see Amman like Gaza”
with this:
“I’d rather live in conditions like the ones in Gaza”
Hamzeh, yeah i can empathize with what you’re saying because a lot of people probably feel like that; but if such conditions were to come to be by tomorrow morning then the airports and our borders would be jammed with people trying to get out…
…with their shirts and their “dignity”.
Sorry for diverting this discussion from its intended subject, but in responce to your comment. I would still prefer seeing that, even though it’s very unlikely, than see my country silent and not even trying to do anything.
We’re becoming an example of little kids who befriend the bully in school to keep from getting hit by him. Even if we have to watch literally our relatives killed by him. We’re the bully’s friend in this, or as some kids like to say, his bitch.
Hamzeh: It’s not too late. I’m sure you could bum a ride into Gaza or southern Lebanon – if that would keep you from feeling like Israel’s “bitch”.
MarcoBlogo,
first, you would have to be mentally challenged to think that what I said means that I simply have this goal in life to live in pain. What I said is that I want action to be taken, and I would rather deal with the consequences of standing up to a right cause than stand by and watch, like a coward. If it were up to me, I would take action, but the only action I can take right now is speak, and that’s what I’m doing.
Second, if you really do know about what’s going on in the region right now you won’t say that. Israel is denying all foreign nationals entry to Gaza and the West Bank. But of course you wouldn’t know that coz all you care to know is what they show you on CNN. But that’s irrelevant anyway.
Hamzeh, what exactly you are asking Jordan to do?
Unlike you, I dont want to see my country like Gaza or Lebanon. If you are so ashamed of yourself, you can go and fight with Hezb Allah, just leave this country in peace.
If a brother of mine is suffering where I cant help, I dont have to suffer like him.
What nonsense.
Anybody who has a pool knows that the water is recycled (through filters) and practically no water is wasted or used (except for the initial fillup). And with new desalination technology, it can cost as little as $3 to fill up that pool.
And then your measily attempt to tie that to “multinational” companies – what the heck?
Like as if farmers dont use water.
Citizens dont use water.
Government does not use water.
I mean get a life. No wonder Arabs/Muslims are the laughing stock of the world – better known as the “defeatist” people. For some reason, the Arab/Muslim is scared of progress, development, and modernity. You can see it in this blog entry.
I actually agree with Hamzeh; except that I don’t want to see Jordan a base for AlQaeda and other terrorist groups! which will probably be the case if Jordan decided to resist. We are not as good as Palestinians or Hizbollah, we don’t have their experience, and as soon as people flee to other countries (which I will totally understand) Jordan will become the new home for terrorists in the ME especially with everything going on in Iraq and Palestine.
I don’t think we have any choice but to remain Israel’s friend.
Hamzeh –
You can take action. Take action against your government. They are no different then the Israeli’s right? But then again, that might actually take some real courage.
And save me the excuses about not being able to join the fight – It may be difficult to get into Gaza, but you surely could head to Lebanon through Syria if you wanted to. Don’t blame the Israelis for your inaction.
And as for what I know. I have seen war and destruction first hand – I know it is not a good place to be , regardless of the circumstances. And FYI I do not watch CNN (nor do I watch Al-Jazerra).
I also know that a stone can not take out a main battle tank and that sometimes discretion is the better part of valor. And that is a lesson that is sometimes not learned until one has seen the horror of war firsthand (not from their couch in a neighboring country).
Exactly! No choice… because ‘we’ are under pure control. because dignity is something of the past … because ‘we’ have no shame!
—-
I cannot disagree …
Let’s blame ourselves first for not being able to stand against our incompetent ‘leaders’… In the end, We Arabs lack the unity – the one basic element that can bring about any type of ‘effective’ change!
MarcoBlogo, if I thought me doing any of the things you suggested was going to do anything, I wouldn’t hesitate to do it, but I don’t believe it does. I think Jordan can do a lot in this situation. Jordan is constantly counted on by the US to be a strong ally to it in the region. We always give the US our full backing and support when it comes to fighting terrorism. We provide intellegence and we sometimes do the dirty work for the US when it comes to extracting information from terrorists.
I think a strong Jordanian responce, just a diplomatic responce, is enough to make the US think again about what is happening in the region. Israel might not care, but I believe the US will. Jordan has been for decades viewed as the most moderate Arab country in the region and if that changes, people in the US are gonna ask questions.
That is something that is worth trying. Me going on my own to South Lebanon to be killed and never heard of, that’s not gonna help anything.
Yes I want to see stuff done and want to help, but I’m also not stupid.
Capisce?
So Hamza, you think that a whole country destruction would help then?
Our government have never seized to back up people in Palestine, Iraq or Lebanon, they sure do their best in a diplomatic way. We as well also help everytime by sending food and medical assistance. BUT we can fight, we dont have to fight, and we dont want to fight.
People, stop blaming our leaders and saying such stuff about our dignity! Leaders in Jordan have always been smart enough to take care of us and keep our dignity up at the same time. I cant see how Hamas, Hezb Allah or Syrian leaders helped save the dignity of their people!
Observer, it’s foolishly unrealistic to think that a strong Jordanian diplomatic responce is going to lead to the “destruction of the country”. Our government has never seized to say that it backs the people in Palestine. Just a few weeks ago, Olmert was being hosted in Jordan. The same criminal who is doing what he’s doing today to the Palestinians. In contrast, all there is between Jordan and the Palestinian leadership is a crisis. How convenient and suspiscious it is that Jordan suddenly didn’t need to host the Palestinian leaders because they were “plotting to attack Jordan”.
I personally don’t see any reason to believe that Jordan’s government right now is acting in a way that has the best interest of Palestine in mind.
And trust me I don’t necessarily credit Hamas or Hizballah for “maintaining” the dignity of their people, but I know one thing, they didn’t take their people’s dignity, and smudge it into the ground like our government is doing today.
At least that’s how I see it.
people, stop blaming our leaders and saying such stuff about our dignity!
LOL. Okay! really … LOL
define dignity, please?
Iman, here. As if you couldn’t find that on your own.
before I actually reply, hamzeh, what is it? it’s not opening!
I’m sorry but enough with all this dignity crap.
In Jordan we don’t have Hizbollah and we don’t have Hamas, and no I don’t want to see any of these groups operating from Jordan! I don’t want to see Jordan a home for Al Qaeda either. Unless Jordan has its own army and is ready to confront its enimies opening the door for resistance will only cause the country to crumble down.
Arabs unity? no thanks, I don’t think my idea about Arabs unity is to try and overthrow the Jordanian monarchy like what happened in the past or making Jordan and Jordanians the scapegoat that must die for everyone else to live. The only thing Jordan can do is to try and be smart for a change, try to gain something from their peacefull ties with “Israel”.
Sad situation but it’s the best case scenario.
Iman, what do you think we should do?
crap? but of course… talking about dignity is nothing but pure crap because it’s something we have no relation to in the Arab world!
Whatever happened to Jaishna Jaish il Watan? Under US control? but Jordan is a sovereign country, no?
no thanks
But why?? Is it because we’re so very selfish that we only care about what’s happening under our own roof that we wouldn’t want to drag ourselves into something across the border? something that very well can reach us someday!? or are we very oblivious to such fact?
well, there you go – and this fits very well when answering what your question of what I think we should do – at least you’re admitting something…
such as?
stop kissing ass, condemn the ongoing israeli atrocities, call back their ambassadors, cut ties with israel… till further notice! and if our governments don’t have the balls to do this, then their people should be able to pressure them into doing that!
Capisce?
^ meant – Yes, I hear where you from coming from.
Iman, just go to dictionary.com and look for the definition you asked for.
SC, with all due respect I think you’re just babbling. I think I explicitly said that I want my government, my country, not anyone else like Al Qaeda or Hizballah, to do something, and I said a strong responce like severing diplomatic ties and normalized relations with Israel and a strong worded responce to the US veto might have a very positive effect on the region right now.
My suggestion is this, whenever somebody says something that amounts to one Arab or muslim standing next to another, try to not perceive that as a call for Arab unity in the same sense that that was called for in the past. If the US can stand by Israel in this, then for fuck’s sake a country with over 60% Palestinian population should stand by Palestine!!!
well there’s a lot thats been said.
what it comes down to is stability and soveriegnty in a region that offers little of both. i dont think jordan should have to give up either for the sake of adventurism. at the heart of matters i dont believe the people would want that as well. or as some have prefered to calling it: “dignity”. They tried that in the past (1967) and things didnt go so well as i recall
i think its been proven in the past half century that fighting fire with fire in this situation does not dampen the flame but rather only enrages it.
if the lebanese people had a choice i doubt they would want hizballah to operate in their country and this is the very reason hamas was kicked out of jordan. you cant launch wars from the backyards of other nations at the expense of those nations. what’s the result? beirut airport gets bombed? amman’s airport gets bombed? wa7dat gets bombed? tla ali gets bombed? for what? more destruction, more death, more rebuilding…to achieve a sense of pride for our carelessness. Dignity is not regained in this manner.
i dont see much protest in the streets of any arab nation. and i’m inclined to grant some credit to the arab people that they outnumber their governments or at least the riot police. it’s because these situations are expected. sadly, we’ve all grown to expect less and less from each other
this isn’t a game of Risk where decisions are made to just invade another country. jordan, nor any other arab nation, has the power to do that anyways.
the truth of the matter is there should not have been any kidnapping. these are all seasoned players of the mid-east conflict and know full well the consequences of their actions. they gave an all access pass to Israel to do what it’s doing. the circumstances are to blame.
anyways, saying jordan should go to war is naive and quite frankly careless in an idiotic sense.
i do agree jordan should take a strong position in the cause and try to broker a deal but i think we’re giving it too much credit for what leverage it has (very little), especially in a situation that involves hamas and hizballah. i dont believe it should come in the form of severing diplomatic ties: the actions taken in this moment of fury which will eventually die out, will have great consequences on the future, mainly the loss of any stance jordan had as a major peace broker or negotiating partner. Not to mention the short term consequences of borders being closed and all assistance to palestinians being cut off. all aid comes through jordan.
normalizing ties with israel keeps a door open for both palestinians and jordanians that is relied upon by both parties. and it’s not a door that can be easily opened once closed.
lastly, if arab nations were smart (and united) they would take a firm position and do something while leaving a player like jordan as a secondary resort for compromise in case all else fails. but that’s not going to happen. everyone is going to say nothing and leave the nation with the most palestinians to take the blame.
yeah whatever. thanks!
Hamzeh, my reply was not directed to you in particular, I’ve said earlier that I agree with you and I was clear about my opinion regarding physical resistance. I don’t think we disagree, I just said that Jordan is not ready to resist. Do you disagree with that? I don’t mind the situation in Gaza or Lebanon (somewhat) but I do mind Jordan trying to be any of the two, it just won’t work.
Iman, I don’t think you are really waiting for a reply because I don’t see any logical arguement here and I’m not gonna waste my time trying to change the way you feel.
Shaden, actually I am interested in hearing your answers..or thoughts rather…
Nas, very well said. I dont think that any cut of diplomatic relations with Israel would help any Arabic cause, in the contrary maybe working on those friendly ties would help to come up with somekind of resolution that would help people in Lebanon and Gaza.
Hamza, I didnt say that “strong Jordanian diplomatic responce is going to lead to the destruction of the country”. I was talking about a military action that I thought some here was calling for to maintain our *dignity*!
I personally think that what our government has been doing to manage our foreign affair in the past couple of year is so smart. At least they are keeping this country stable in a region full of fire.
Iman, dignity? To be able to live with your family at peace in a stable country while having your basic human rights. What’s your definition?
Iman, lol no I don’t, you see I’m just blabbing, I don’t know…you don’t need to agree with me but no need to act stupid iman, please!
WE DON’T HAVE THE NECESSARY MILITARY POWER TO DEFEND OURSELVES OR HELP OTHERS!!!!! WE JUST DON’T! AND WE HAVE WAAAAAY TOO MANY ENIMIES TO BE THAT STUPID AND ACTUALLY PHYSICALLY FIGHT ISRAEL!
See? simple. ba3dain you don’t seem to be fond of “jaishana” in the first place and I bet you’re not the only one.
“within its powers” is too flexible and vague. Yea sure, of course every Arab country must do something within its powers.
The Observer your definition is best fitting for selfishness … i would say it’s ‘being able to live with your family at peace in a stable country while having your basic human rights’ met WITHOUT profiting from the misery of others (who by the way can’t even enjoy neither basic human needs nor rights!)
I seriously needed a bit of comedy after a heavy dose of even more depressing news the past few days!
Nas, I have to disagree. Your argument, while well articulated in your comment, still contains some flawed points.
“what it comes down to is stability and soveriegnty in a region that offers little of both. i dont think jordan should have to give up either for the sake of adventurism.”
While this is arguably very true, I would like you to consider the effect that Jordan’s constant appeasement of US foreign policy in the region, especially with regards to Israel, has on both Jordan’s sovereignty and stability. First, it threatens Jordan’s sovereignty because, and I have said this like ten times in the past, it has already been demonstrated that Jordanian citizens’ rights under the constitution were violated in the past simply to comply with US demands (The 1999 Hamas related events). Second, it threatens Jordan’s stability because it makes Jordan like a boiling pot. With a population that is overwhelmingly of Palestinian origins, the public opinion in Jordan grows more dissatisfied with our government’s policies towards Israel, the US and Palestine. And with a continous cycle of violence that appears to be more effective in yielding concessions from Israel than the peace treaty between Israel and Jordan (think Israel’s refusal to release Jordanian prisoners in the past and its agreeing to release Palestinian and Hizballah instead), the pot will boil even more if you know what I mean. Tell me how this can be viewed as helping Jordan’s stability.
“the truth of the matter is there should not have been any kidnapping ….. they gave an all access pass to Israel to do what itâ??s doing. the circumstances are to blame.”
By this logic, you are excusing Israel from responsibility for its actions, and that is wrong because its actions in the last couple of weeks amount to acts of terrorism and war crimes. Hizballah’s killing and capture of Israeli soldiers amounts to neither. Also, the idea that Israel needs a green light from any Arab entity to target innocent civilians and bystanders is wrong. Israel was provoked, true, but the only justifiable responce that one can blame Hizballah for provoking would be military action against Hizballah targets. Lebanese airports, bridges, fuel supplies, roads, sea and airspace, and civilians are none of that. Israel is very much capable of responding to Hizballah in the same way that Hizballah acted, and that is to enter Lebanon, kill and kidnap Hizballah fighters, but it chose not to, and it chose to escalate the violence and target innocent civilians. That was solely Israel’s decision and Hizballah had no part in it. This is of course, without having to bring to mind the fact that Israel already had entered Lebanese terretories many times in the past and captured not only Hizballah fighters, but Lebanese civilians, who are all still in Israeli jails.
“anyways, saying jordan should go to war is naive and quite frankly careless in an idiotic sense.”
For some reason, I feel that I have to make the point clear that this is not what I was implying in my replies.
“the actions taken in this moment of fury which will eventually die out, will have great consequences on the future, mainly the loss of any stance jordan had as a major peace broker or negotiating partner.”
Well the way I see it, and the way many people see it. Unfortunately since maybe 1999, Jordan hasn’t had any major role as a peace broker between Israel and Palestine and in terms of negotiations with Israel over miscellaneous issues concerning just Jordan, it hasn’t been able to achieve much even with its good relations with Israel. I mentioned the Jordanian prisoners story before, and how for all we have seen so far, it seems that Hizballah’s methods are more effective than Jordan’s when it comes to negotiating with Israel. Israel seems to only agree to negotiate after a viscious cycle of violence. Now when it comes to Jordan, I think we can do something else, and that is excersize our diplomatic leverage with Israel and the US which I believe deserves more credit than you’re willing to give it.
Mainly, my point is that we in Jordan right now are doing absolutey nothing significant. And whatever it is that we are doing right now, like issuing statements and blaming the wrong side, it’s been shown not to yield any results in the past.
…we’re not being bombed right now.
also, while israel publically says it wont release jordanian prisoners, usually when our Foreign Minister is sent to Israel a dozen of them get released. so diplomatic relations do work and they have managed to keep jordan relativly stable despite the fact that we have a huge palestinian population whose dissent (or lack thereof) can be viewed as a volatile domestic element.
the speaker can convince most people of most things and himself of anything. i didnt say any of that and if thats what you concluded then a friendly suggestion is that you review your deductive abilities. both parties are too blame, Israel more for its disproportionate response. but nevertheless, can we safely assume that had hizballah not been involved that it would not have opened the gates for Israel’s brutality?
if hamas fighters set up camp in zarqa and launched rockets at israel targets in the west bank pushing israel to bomb queen alia airport and kill tourists, civilians, and employees…what do we conclude?
i wasnt directing that at you…my comment was speaking in generalities of what’s been said thus far.
i disagree, it has kept Jordan stable especially throughout the rise of the 2nd intifada. secondly, any deals of ceasefires and truces and any major negotiations that have yielded any benefit for palestinians (as negotiated by palestinians) have all taken place in jordan. its the safeground. abbas was just meeting with the israeli defence minister this last week over gaza, in amman. lastly, to simply conclude that we’ve gained nothing from maintaing relations with Israel since 1999 and therefore we should abandon it is a bit naive hamzeh and i think you know that. the same can be said of the violence that has been at the forefront of the struggle since 1948. we can all go to war again just to test that theory out for old time’s sake.
it isnt always about what we as the public will make us feel better in the short run…it’s about setting up what’s to come in the long run. in this conflict when you cross certain bridges it’s impossible to turn back, and when you burn certain bridges it’s impossible to rebuild them. cutting off ties with israel over what’s currently happening (as bad as it is) it’s just simply not in the interest of palestinians or jordanians. it’s bitter medicine but it keeps us breathing…and i prefer breathing to the alternative.
and one more thing…hizballah is a gurilla resistance movement in south lebanon….Jordan is an actual nation with actual soveriegnty and an actual people to sustain whether we agree on the interpretation of “nation” or not. in the same way that a militia is not an army is not simply because one has greater numbers.
Not to get to technical on the statements but in reality Jordan is not blaming the wrong side…it’s blaming both and Israel more so for its brutality.
secondly, how can one acknowledge that jordan can “excercise its diplomatic leverage” and then suggests that we should cut our diplomatic relations? should we try to breathe with our lungs closed?
you’re looking for actual muscle flexing, and jordan doesn’t have it. and nothing about the status quo can be changed to make that fact any more relevant. we’re not an economic superpower that has the ability to cut off vital resources in the region. we don’t control essential waterways or airspace. and our military is strong enough to defend invaders but not to do the actual invading. not to mention we have no threatening weapons.
these are the things that matter hamzeh and you already know this. these are the things that carry any real power in the world and in our region and we have none of them. and nothing can change that. its like flipping your jeans upside down just to make sure you dont have any change in the pockets…none is going to magically appear.
jordan has one thing going for it on all levels: politically, economically and socially…relative stability in the region. that is our one asset, our one bargining chip and i would rather not gamble that all on one hand in a game where the players are playing for keeps, just in the interest of adventurism.
we all have our role to play in this conflict hamzeh, and jordan’s role is to be the one that hosts the table that all parties will eventually return to. if we had a different role, if we were given a better and stronger hand then I would be more inclined to criticise our lack of use of it. but we dont. we are the stable broker in the region where everything is relative. right now lebanese planes are landing in queen alia airport for that very reason.
Iman, you find the idea of our diplomacy helping comical, it is okay, your right, eventhough you choose to ignore some of our diplomatic successes in the past few years. At leat, the idea cheered you up a bit in a stressful time…
As of dignity, I dont see how we are benefiting of the lack of basic human needs of other people. We can help as much as we can, but we dont have to suffer and end up like them to maintain our dgnity.
Being able to take care of yourself is a first step in order to be able to help others. If you cant do both, then yourself comes firt. Sounds selfish? Maybe, but I think it is smart as well.