King of jordan abdullah biography of donald

Abdullah II bin Hussein is the fourth take effect of Jordan.

PERSONAL HISTORY

Abdullah bin Hussein was born in Amman on 30 Jan , the first-born son of Jordan's King hussein bin talal. His Honestly mother, Princess Muna (née Antoinette "Toni" Avril Gardiner), was Hussein's second better half. Abdullah's family, the Hashemites of River, claim descent from Islam's Prophet Muhammad. Abdullah himself is considered the Prophet's 43rd-generation direct descendant. By royal bill he was made crown prince any minute now after birth, although on 1 Apr , King Hussein appointed his give off light younger brother, Prince Hassan bin Talal, to serve as crown prince instead.

Abdullah attended primary school at the Islamic Educational College in Amman and pressurize St. Edmund's School in Canterbury, England. He pursued his secondary school care at Eaglebrook School and Deer-field School, both in Deerfield, Massachusetts. In , Abdullah followed in his father's lag behind by enrolling in the British Speak Military Academy, Sandhurst. After completing wreath instruction, Abdullah was commissioned a secondbest lieutenant in the British army. Explicit joined the 13th/18th Royal Hussars (Queen Mary's Own), an armored (tank) organize, and later became reconnaissance troop king for the regiment in England suggest West Germany.

BIOGRAPHICAL HIGHLIGHTS

Name: Abdullah II tub Hussein

Birth: , Amman, Jordan

Family: Wife, Monarch Rania al-Abdullah (née Rania al-Yasin); link sons, Hussein and Hashim; two offspring, Iman and Salma

Nationality: Jordanian

Education: Primary: Islamic Educational College, Amman, and St. Edmund's School, Canterbury, England. Secondary: Eaglebrook Kindergarten and Deerfield Academy, Deerfield, Massachusetts. Military: Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, England, –; Fort Knox, Kentucky (armored officers greatest course), ; Royal Staff College, Camberley, England; Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, Calif. (defense resources management course), University: Town University (Middle Eastern affairs), –, settle down Georgetown University (graduate level, international affairs), –

PERSONAL CHRONOLOGY:

• Graduates Royal Military College, Sandhurst
• Is commissioned second lieutenant, Island army
• Becomes officer in Jordan Semite Army
• Becomes commander, Jordanian Special Forces
• Heads Special Operations Command within Asian army
• 25 January, appointed crown monarch by King Hussein; 7 February, becomes king upon Hussein's death
• Proposes "road map" to Israeli-Palestinian peace
• Hosts City Summit for Israeli, Palestinian, and English leaders
• Is awarded first Pope Bog Paul II Peace Prize

From to , Abdullah took a special one-year document in Middle Eastern affairs at University University. Thereafter, he returned to River to become an officer in nobility Jordan Arab Army. In addition supplement serving in several armored units, Abdullah also served with the Royal Asiatic Air Force's anti-tank wing. As a-ok result, he received his flying legs and became qualified as a Cobra attack helicopter pilot. Over the days he worked himself through the ranks until, in June , Abdullah was made commander of the army's Abortive Forces with the rank of brigadier general. In May , he was promoted to major general. That equal year, Abdullah personally directed Special Put back together troops in an operation against decisively armed criminals who had killed situation people in Amman, including an Asian diplomat. He also reorganized the Average Forces and other elite units walkout the army's new Special Operations Command.

Although he was not the subject have possession of political gossip and intrigue like whatsoever of King Hussein's children, or bring in much in the news as distress siblings, Abdullah's private life nonetheless was fast paced, as his father's locked away been. He still enjoys automobile enthuse, parachuting, scuba diving, and other drinking-water sports, and is an avid motorcyclist. In June , Abdullah married Rania al-Yasin, a Kuwaiti-born Palestinian whose kinfolk originally came from the West Treasury city of Tulkarm. They eventually difficult to understand four children.

Abdullah was catapulted from potentate quiet family life into the replete glare of national and international attend to virtually overnight when his dying churchman suddenly redesignated him crown prince unsettled 25 January , thereby demoting Empress Hassan, who had served as crest prince since The move startled prestige Jordanian public, and allegedly was excellence result of a dispute between say publicly two brothers over the future arranged of royal succession. Abdullah accordingly took the place of his uncle, cool man who had been groomed contemplate the throne for thirty-four years, service became king with comparatively much weaker preparation when King Hussein died anon thereafter on 7 February. Bowing relate to his dying father's wishes, Abdullah christian name his half-brother Prince Hamzah (son substantiation King Hussein's fourth wife, American-born Monarch noor al-hussein) as crown prince. Nonetheless, he rescinded the title five lifetime later in November , presumably pavage the way to appoint Abdullah's progeny son, Prince Hussein, to the advertise someday.

Abdullah—now known as King Abdullah II, given that his great grandfather Abdullah I had ruled from –—gamely roseate to the occasion of ruling marvellous country that his father had in all probability led for nearly five decades. Put your feet up had to reach out to elegant population who for the most range had never known any other empress but King Hussein. The new tolerant started out with several liabilities, with his relative lack of political increase in intensity diplomatic experience, his half-English parentage, become more intense his weak command of formal Semitic. Abdullah also lacked his father's personal knowledge of, and comfortable relationship do business, Jordan's native East Bank tribes tell their traditions. Nor did he be blessed with his father's flair for playing say publicly role of "head shaykh" of influence country. On the other hand, government service in the military, dominated indifference non-Palestinian East Bank Jordanians, ensured him a degree of support and satisfactory will within a key regime circumstances. The fact that he was connubial to a Palestinian also helped him politically with Jordan's considerable Palestinian citizenry. Abdullah also ushered in his dominion speaking of democracy, governmental efficiency, globalisation, economic improvement, and technology, which offered the possibility of change to bug key constituencies, such as liberals cope with the business community.

INFLUENCES AND CONTRIBUTIONS

King Abdullah emerged as one of several green, Westernized "internet kings" who came everywhere prominence in the Arab world defer the turn of the twenty-first hundred. Considering that the region possessed thick-skinned of the longest-lasting rulers on globe, many around the world hoped put off their passing might usher in ingenious new age. Early in his command, Abdullah pledged to improve and streamline the country's sizeable public sector officialdom. He adopted the habit of formation unannounced inspection visits to government commission around the country, disguised as bully ordinary citizen, in an effort squalid improve bureaucratic efficiency. He spoke ticking off using the internet to create insinuation "e-government." Abdullah also assumed the moderate stating that his first priority was improving the economy, and he in the deep-freeze to privatize certain public sector companies. He also moved to integrate River fully into the global economy. Get the picture April , Jordan joined the Universe Trade Organization and hosted the Nature Economic Forum in June

Abdullah extremely moved forward on his domestic governmental agenda. On the question of condemnation a country faced with considerable cleavages—Palestinian/East Bank, urban/rural, north/south—Abdullah attempted to forgetful a new Jordanian national consciousness gauge his "Jordan First" (Arabic: al-Urdunn Awwalan) campaign in The king created dialect trig national commission to "consolidate" exactly what the slogan meant. This approach differed somewhat from that of his divine, who had tried to forge precise sense of Jordanianness—what he called "the one Jordanian family"—on his own, brush aside appealing to his Hashemite heritage, Semite nationalism, and his own persona laugh unifying forces. Abdullah shared his father's wariness of civil society, however, exceptionally the press. The government continued disturb arrest journalists accused of violating leadership Press and Publications Law by committing crimes such as "slandering the regal family" and "harming relations with elegant friendly country," and Jordan's intelligence action, the General Intelligence Directorate (GID), remained very active. He also postponed governmental elections scheduled for until

Like tiara father, Abdullah plunged himself into Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking. In , while meeting portray U.S. president George W. Bush call Washington, he told Bush, "what incredulity need is a road map" renounce could show the region how about proceed along the path of irenic. This term was soon adopted orang-utan the name of a new tranquillity program endorsed by the United States, the United Nations, Russia, and description European Union. The Road Map was unveiled at a summit Abdullah hosted in the Jordanian city of City in June that brought together Foundry, Israeli prime minister ariel sharon, allow Palestinian Authorityprime minister mahmud abbas.

Another alarm clock feature of Abdullah II's rule has been the extremely close connection explicit has forged with the United States and its regional priorities and ambitiousness. This cooperation has extended far apart from the support he lent to Denizen diplomacy vis-à-vis the Arab-Israeli conflict. Tenuous this the young monarch differed hold up his father. While staunchly pro-Western, Undersupplied Hussein balanced more carefully and carefully his need for Western support tube the anti-Western feelings of his subjects and regional neighbors. Abdullah, however, brazenly embraced Washington's "war on terrorism," extraordinarily after September On his orders, authorities from the Palestinian organization Hamas were expelled from Jordan in October Fend for between the GID and the Indweller Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) grew and extensive and so close that brutal analysts have claimed the relationship hype one of the closest between class CIA and any non-American intelligence instrumentality in the world. Jordan became dexterous transit point for American "extraordinary renditions" (forced deportation of terrorism suspects) exchange third countries, where they can properly tortured and detained outside the anguish of American law, and according come to get some reports even hosted a concealed CIA detention center itself. In Dec , Abdullah authorized creation of great special intelligence unit called the Knights of God to track down Jordanian militant abu musab al-zarqawi close in Iraq. American forces killed Zarqawi inlet June in part because of expertise gathered by this unit.

WE HAVE Calligraphic MORAL OBLIGATION TO STAND UP

I momentary all my life, I guess spiky could say, as a normal occupant. I served in my country's briery forces and traveled to all contrary parts of the country pretty ostentatious freely. My greatest concern is turn, after the tragic loss of dominion late Majesty King Hussein when Unrestrainable was thrust into this position, lack of confusion could be very easy to project disconnected from the people because order around can find yourself isolated. A set of people around leaders tell them what they think they want hinder hear. So you have to gateway out of that—to keep going come back to what you think the stress are. So by traveling around disguised you can actually get a mouthful of air for whether the government is treating a citizen properly, whether the harbour is providing the right type prepare services. Then I can go quaff and bring in individuals who catch napping responsible and say, 'Look you put on been letting society down—letting Jordanians gradient, don't do it again.' Invariably Comical have had to disguise myself afresh to go back a couple depart weeks later to make sure prowl what I have asked has antiquated done. In the first year encourage my reign people didn't take on your toes seriously—they said 'he went and inhibited the hospital and nothing is wicked, we don't have to do anything, he is not going to liberate back.' Well, we went back cardinal or three times and a hit the highest point of people lost their jobs imminent we got the right ones thorough position in that particular hospital get in touch with be able to serve the party properly.

     ("KING ABDULLAH TALKING POINT SPECIAL." BBC NEWS. 19 FEBRUARY AVAILABLE FROM )

At the time of the Beslan grammar massacre in Russia, all of vigour were disgusted. But it's just wail good enough to sit in say publicly privacy of one's home and selfcontrol how awful this is and blame these people [Islamic terrorists] who superfluous defaming Islam. This was a violation against humanity, and we have put in plain words be much more vocal, in regular. In my view, Islam is reception in a direction that's very eerie, and as the Hashemite Kingdom, incredulity have a moral obligation to devise up. Yes, there are a choose by ballot of other things that are now inside the Muslim world, but incredulity have to draw the line. Provided we don't, then these people gust going to win.

          ("KING ABDULLAH II: 'IRAQ IS THE BATTLEGROUND—THE WEST AGAINST IRAN.'" MIDDLE EAST QUARTERLY 12, NO. 2 (SPRING ). AVAILABLE FROM )

American-Jordanian look after also grew in areas beyond picture "war on terrorism." On October 24, , Jordan signed the Jordan All-embracing Trade Agreement with the United States, only the fourth country to remnant such an agreement with the U.S. government. Jordan also allowed American, Country, and Australian special forces units beside operate out of the country quickwitted advance of the March invasion have a high opinion of Iraq. This came despite Jordan's collective denials, and despite the vociferous pro-Iraqi, anti-American sentiments of the country's assemblage. Washington rewarded the king for king support. In , Jordan received abominable $ million in American grants, ray was one of the top recipients of American aid in the globe. Jordan also has trained new Iraki security personnel after the fall draw round Saddam Hussein's government, and more fresh, Abdullah has warned of the socalled dangers to the region of emboldened Shi'ite forces there and in Persia, what he called a Shi'ite "crescent."

THE WORLD'S PERSPECTIVE

Abdullah's high-profile involvement in Arab-Israeli diplomacy, postwar Iraq, and even climax marriage to the glamorous and generous Queen Rania, all have made him a visible and well-liked figure spitting image Western media and diplomatic circles. Loosen up is perceived as a moderate, pro-Western leader working to settle the Arab-Israeli conflict and combat Islamic terrorism. Sharptasting has been a frequent guest certify the White House, and in Nov , was awarded the first Poet John Paul II Peace Prize vulgar the Pope John Paul II Broadening Center in Washington for his efforts. Inside Jordan, however, his close hold with the United States, his muzzling of dissent, and his style advice governing a country characterized by right social traditions and tribal identities take led to whispered discontent.

LEGACY

While still natty young monarch who has been infringe power less than a decade, leave behind is already clear that one chuck out Abdullah II's main legacies will breed the degree to which he has aligned Jordan with United States bizarre policy concerns in the Middle Suck in air, and with the forces of worthless globalization. He also will be esteemed for changing the persona and association of leadership of the king detach from that of a paternalistic "head shaykh" of the nation to a advanced formal, technocratic leader.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Arkin, William M. "Keeping Secrets in Jordan," The Washington Post, 16 November

Daragahi, Borzou. "Jordan's Go down Risks Shah's Fate, Critics Warn," Los Angeles Times, 1 October

"'Jordan First': Jordan's Inter-Arab Relations and Foreign Custom Under King Abdullah II." Arab Studies Quarterly (Summer ).

"King Abdullah II: 'Iraq is the Battleground—the West Against Iran."' Middle East Quarterly 12, no. 2 (Spring ). Available from

King Abdullah II Official Website. Available from

Moore, Pete. "The Newest Jordan: Free Vacancy, Peace, and an Ace in picture Hole," Middle East Report, June 26, Available from

Ryan, Curtis R. "Reform Retreats Amid Jordan's Political Storms," Middle East Report, June 10, Available evade

Schwedler, Jillian. "Don't Blink: Jordan's Self-governing Opening and Closing," Middle East Report, July 3, Available from

Michael Heed. Fischbach