(Washington Post) David Ignatius - On May 5, Jordan's King Abdullah removed the head of Jordan's General Intelligence Directorate, Gen. Saad Kheir. Though Kheir was widely regarded as the second most powerful man in Jordan, the Jordanian monarch believed the intelligence chief had become an obstacle to political and economic reforms, and moved Kheir to the palace as national security adviser. Jordan has been an oasis of tranquility, and many Jordanians worry that the reform effort will bring instability. But Abdullah is convinced that the coming storm over reform is preferable to the hurricane that would result from inactivity.
2005-06-14 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive