So far this year, King Abdullah was on the road visiting the following countries:
January 4th EgyptJanuary 5th Saudi Arabia
January 21st Bahrain
January 22nd Oman
January 27th Spain
January 28th Switzerland
February 18th Destination not announced (private visit)
February 25th Oman (Private Visit)
March 7th United Kingdom
March 10th Russia
March 25th Libya
April 1st Japan
April 6th UAE
April 10th USA
April 22nd Egypt
May 15th Azerbaijan
June 9th United Kingdom
June 11th USA (+ private visit)
June 14th Norway
July 9th USA (+private visit-motorcycle rides in CA)
July 31st Destination not announced (private visit)
August 12th Egypt
August 18th United Kingdom
August 22nd Saudi Arabia
August 24th Bahrain
August 25th Kuwait
in contrast, US presidents had the following trips logged during their first 6 months in office: (source)
One thing I can glean from this huge difference is that Jordan lacks competent officials to carry out high level talks with world leaders.
13 ►I charge thee, speak!:
that's one valid conclusion.
another is that a developing nation like Jordan that is resource-stricken and heavily reliant on donor-funding and various international cooperation to carry out projects and initiatives that range from infrastructure to social development...requires a lot more solicitation.
and with that in mind, the current state of affairs is adamant on positioning the King as a recognizable, international face, while the prime minister tends to the domestic constituency.
ironically, this sort of setup is what was initially envisioned by america's founding fathers, however, over the years, the president gained more executive powers.
Allah ya3teee el 3afyeh wallah.. it's not fun at all.. once/month might be fun but that's so much hard work! also considering the time zones and the jet lag, etc
commenting on your last point, there are levels for such meetings.. leaders level, PM's level, FM's level, etc. so world leaders level needs to be carried out by his Majesty, no?
Nas,
I agree that there has been a shift in Jordan in terms of the PM attending to local matters more often these days. However, if that's the intent, don't you think an elected PM will be more effective in answering to local calls of action on various issues? plugging in a relatively outsider personality is not the most effective way.
Jano,
I wouldn't call playing Age of Empires on a private jet hard work! :) Besides, his majesty has a horde of personal assistants, advisors, and, I hear, three butlers named Jeeves doing most of the work.
LOL @ Nas
LOL LOL @ Jano
mab3oos: i agree with you in theory. i use the word "theory" here because you used the word "effective". in the sense that, if we are looking for the PM to be "effective", him or her being elected to that position at this point will unlikely yield that very result. this is not to say appointments have proven themselves any better. but they might just be lesser of two evils at this point.
no one standing here today can say what popular elections for a PM and a cabinet would look like with any certainty. but if elections in this country over the past 20 years (municipal, parliamentary, industrial, organizational, associations) are any small measure of the outcome, i would argue that it isn't looking too bright.
omar: thanks for contributing to the debate. you're argument truly stumped me.
Nas,
sometimes I wonder if it's shortage of capable individuals in the country or is it by design. In many cases capable persons have avoided public office for the limits imposed on them to have a mind of their own. Add to that the speed at which cabinets are dismissed, which never allows for a stable environment to achieve one's goals/plans.
And why did you choose to compare the international activity of His Majesty, with that of the President of the United States of America; the head of state of the sole and only superpower (hyperpower some argue) left in the international system? Don’t you think that capacities matter in this respect? His Majesty will have to tour around the clock to secure aid and forward investment promotion, while the President of the United States of America my dear Mab3oos can change regimes by a press of a button or a phone call from the oval office. Even your comparative case studies are askew habibi…. You are comparing apples with oranges here. How about you choose another Arab leader (to a country with a similar domestic make-up and challenges as Jordan) to compare His Majesty’s international activity portfolio against and we can then discuss your research results? That would be more just I reckon.
This is Anonymous 2 again.
anon,
you don't have to disagree with me on everything. You don't!
the only reason I usually choose the US to compare is the availability of information. had I chosen Lebanon for example, Hariri's trips would be Beirut-Paris-Riyadh-Beirut. What you failed to notice is that I concluded in the post and one comment above that either the country lacks a competent official or that his majesty likes it that way.
Also, the president of the united states doesn't change regimes ala cold war times "by a press of a button." think of Iran, North Korea, Bolivia, Venezuela, Syria, Sudan, Zimbabwe... and even Hamas' Abu Hanieh.
One more thing, there were already four private visits this year. I think that's a lot of waste spending for "a country with a similar domestic make-up and challenges as Jordan." One private visit by Michelle Obama and her daughter to Spain got the whole country talking and many articles were written chastising her on a lavish trip when many in the country are facing terrible economic conditions. You'll never here a single word in Jordan's press about the royal's private visits.
p.s. the above list doesn't even include the rest of the royal family. and you wonder why we still have "challenges"!
Mab3oos I alone can decide on when and when not to agree with what you are uttering here, this is the beauty of the liberal framework you are sponsoring over your blog and ostensibly believe in.
Dakhlak the 2003 invasion and occupation of Iraq, 2001 invasion of Afghanistan and the exogenous support for the Green movement in Iran happened during the Cold War era?! They all feel like nasty strategies of that time.
And please do not scapegoat the Royal Family members and their trips with connection to the economic challenges afflicting Jordan. This is a cheap tactic that does not fly in this intelligent conversation, you could do better. They are also travelling on official business that will accrue many rewards for the country. Besides, private visits are clearly so, they do not dig out of your pocket or mine.
If your conclusion is “that either the country lacks a competent official or that his majesty likes it that way”; how do you suggest addressing this issue, any suggestions?
(Anonymous 2)
Of course you're the one who decides agreeing and disagreeing. But, when you exhibit a pattern of "I am always right and you're wrong," you lose much credibility and start sounding like a Gov mouth piece.
Iraq and Afghanistan were hardly a press of a button. If so, that button has been stuck for 7 and 9 years, respectively. Also, Ahmedinejad is still the president of Iran last time I checked. No regime change happened there with a press of a button either. And, I said "ala cold war." for those of at least 6th grade education, that statement means like cold war times not that they happened during the cold war.
I am not using anybody as a scapegoat. this post on 7iber (http://www.7iber.com/2010/03/censored-king-solutions/) shows many of the wasteful spending areas that the Royal Family has been involved in. Besides, I am not sure when was the last time you went to sleep hungry in Jordan, but the country's economic condition hasn't improved much. GDP grew but that means naught when the standard of living is on the decline. BTW, private visits or not, they're paid for by the treasury. So, yes. All Jordanians pay for them. If not, where's the transparency in reporting the Royal Family's income?
note: your blind support to the gov/royals is making me sick. Please do me a favor and watch a session of the house of commons (http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Main/Home.aspx) and see how a government is questioned.
if you wish to make another comment, please make it a "closing statement." I really don't have the energy to argue with a deadbeat يا معفن :) (wow that felt good :)))))
Ah...where are my posts Mab3oos?
here is your Last comment in it's entirety. I don't know why it wasn't posted here, but I recieved it by email as all other comments. -mab3oos.
Wow...You really deserve a standing ovation following these diatribes Mab3oos, ever so impressive, with every reply you just grow more in my eye.
Again, you avoided directly addressing my questions and invitations for you to provide us with intelligent alternatives and solutions, by turning to personal attacks, name calling, playing the sympathy card and pretending to be all knowledgeable. You ought to stick to the arguments Mr. ‘deadbeat’ ….Ya m6oge3. Please do not try and insult the intelligence of the readers here by trying to connect diametrically opposed issues, you have no evidence, method, or cogent reasoning available to connect Royal visits with the economic situations of the country. The latter is a complex field that is beyond the comprehension of a 6 grader like your self.
You should watch a session of a parliamentary debate to learn how arguments and points are constructed, in the grand hope that you would start producing some work with some decent thought put behind it.
Not all who disagree with you are ‘government mouth pieces’ habibi….but again nice try.
This is my ‘closing statement’.
first, I am not a 6 grader. I received an honorary fifth grade diploma from مدرسة شرحبيل بن حسنة الاساسية after my back breaking work to remedy a gruesome assault at the school by renaming it شرشبيل!
Second, my conclusion after reading your comments is that you either get paid to blindly defend the Jordanian Gov and Royal family or that you are a member of said family. Either way, you have exhibited ignorance to all International economic measures, democracy reports, and various socio-economic studies that have time and again proven that Jordan is in unenviable position on all measures. (may be not Basketball!)
Jordan has the people and resources to do much better. But, when corruption has a godfather, it thrives.
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Be respectful of others' opinions or I will kick your ass. فاهم؟