Is Rania Popular in Jordan?

[grecka]

I've always been kind of curious as to how the Jordanian people view Rania. I've read in a variety of articles that she is resented by some for her love of haute couture and her shunning of the hijab. Is this true?

 

[HMQueenElizabethII]

I think Queen Rania would be famous in Jordan and for the Jordanian people, by her involment in charities, and care for people,...and i have a Jordania friend in Australia, though he was born here but he knows lots of Queen Rania and he said that Queen Rania is a really wonderful lady as well.

 

[rubah]

I am a Jordanien and i assure you that most people here adore her.

 

[maryshawn]

If there was ever a question, I think we have our answer about Queen Rania and King Abdullah's popularity in their country in the rallies of support shown since the attacks. It is clear to me they have the love and support and admiration of the people of Jordan.

 

[sommone]

I think Rania has and will have her critics...I remember reading about an incident where Prince Ali was at a game, and some of the men were chanting something to the effect, and this isn't verbatim, of Abdullah leaving Rania and getting a Jordanian wife. He called Abdullah on the phone to let him hear the group of men chanting the insult. I think though that for the most part she is liked in Jordan.

 

[Alexandria]

I think Rania has and will have her critics...

I think that is true of every public figure and Rania is no different. Some will like her simply because she is the queen and some will like her because of her work. Others will dislike her because of her work (or lack of it or choices of it) or just because she is queen or because there is a preference for a previous queen or a preference for a style of a previous queen.

I think that there is also a difference between being popular and being respected. For example, I think Princess Anne of Great Britain is respected for her hard work but I don't necessarily think she's popular in the same manner Princess Diana was.

I personally do not know the situation and feelings of the Jordanian people to judge what the sentiments on Rania are but I think there are sentiments for both popularity and respect.

 

[maryshawn]

I hadn't heard this. QN encountered the same thing but her husband told her it would "blow over." She saw it as a catalyst to change/simplify her image and it pretty much spelled an end to her elaborate wardrobe and she admits to packing away the jewels and wearing a bracelet from her children instead.

I think you're all right about people having their supporters and detractors--it happens to all public figures. What I see right now is a woman who is doing her dignified and compassionate best to help others with her presence and personal conversations with those victimized by the terrorists. I believe it will help her image--though I know she's not concerned about that right now--and will silence the critics for awhile and perhaps win more support from people "on the fence" about her.

Tragic as it is, this may be a defining moment in the reign of KA and QR. Thus far, their performance has been flawless, in my view.

quote=sommone]I think Rania has and will have her critics...I remember reading about an incident where Prince Ali was at a game, and some of the men were chanting something to the effect, and this isn't verbatim, of Abdullah leaving Rania and getting a Jordanian wife. He called Abdullah on the phone to let him hear the group of men chanting the insult. I think though that for the most part, she is liked in Jordan.[/quote]

 

[Alexandria]

Tragic as it is, this may be a defining moment in the reign of KA and QR. Thus far, their performance has been flawless, in my view.

I've thought this, too Mary Shawn.

Sometimes it is because of such a terrible loss or immense tragedy that defines the kind of leadership a country has. It's not so much the everyday moments or policies that define leaders, but it's how they react and lead their country and their fellow citizens that makes others take note and either appreciate them or resent them.

When the terrorist attacks took place in Spain, the royal family really rose to the occasion so to speak, publicly demonstrating their sadness at the loss of hundreds of fellow citizens. We saw all the members of the royal family shed tears publicly at memorial masses and funerals, and Prince Felipe and his sisters marching in a parade against terrorists. It was, as I recall, a moment that changed many minds about Letizia. Many people hadn't warmed up to her at that point. They thought that she was cold and stiff but when those pictures of her stricken with grief as she visited the hospital right after the attacks or attending those services, many minds were changed.

I think the same is happening now in Jordan. Before Wednesday, most of what I read was about Rania's physical appearance and her designer clothing. Very little was said about the good work she did. But these last two days I have not read a single sentence about Rania showing up at a hospital wearing Prada or Gucci, rather about how emotionally stricken and affected she has been, how she wiped tears away and consoled her fellow citizens, how she has held babies and hands of men and women young and old.

It's sad that such a loss had to have taken place for people to see and recognize the kind of work Rania has done all along and for that work to define her rather than her clothes defining her.

 

[grevinnan]

If one does not want to be defined by ones designer clothing - don't wear it. We all determine what the first and subsequent impression of us should be - if one chooses expensive clothing that stands out then that is the picture we leave of ourselves for other people to remember us by.

 

[Humera]

I dont agree. All royals wear designer clothing. Yet is that all thats worth talking about? I dont want anyone to define me or form a judgement about me based on what I do or do not wear, nor does Rania, I am sure.
If people willingly choose to only emphasize that aspect of Rania's personality then thats a poor reflection of their mind-set. In my opinion it does not diminish any of the good work that she or any other royal does. Why should she stop wearing designer clothes because some people only focus on the superficial?
Besides, not everyone thinks that way. One only has to take a look at the KA and QR thread and see how many people have appreciated the way QR has handled herself, not only since the terrorist attacks but before that, when she visited the earthquake victims in Pakistan, the way she spent much of her Ramadan visiting orphans and widows, and thats just during the last few weeks.
Clearly, her designer clothes weren't getting in the way of her performing her duties nor did most of us find them so distracting that we couldn't focus on the good she was doing.

 

[sommone]

It's sad that such a loss had to have taken place for people to see and recognize the kind of work Rania has done all along and for that work to define her rather than her clothes defining her.

I agree Alexandria...She's been doing this same work all along, but people just get too caught up in what she's wearing, and that is as far as it goes for some. Like I said in another post, the evidence of her work is available for the public to read about on the internet, or even in one of her other threads.

 

[grevinnan]

I have no doubt you are correct in stating that Queen Raina is very active in various causes in her country. However, in the press she mostly looks like she just stepped of a runway in Paris. She is also very beautiful and photogenic. Most of us will not start to do research on beautiful people we come across in the news. Therefore, the impression most people will have of her is her looks. My point was and remains - if she wants to be noted for her work she may need to downplay her appearance, especially when she is engaged in activities related to her causes. There are many opportunities for royals to be dressed for show. Most royals are very well dressed but the clothes do not take centerstage.

 

[polop]

I dont agree. All royals wear designer clothing. Yet is that all thats worth talking about? I dont want anyone to define me or form a judgement about me based on what I do or do not wear, nor does Rania, I am sure.
If people willingly choose to only emphasize that aspect of Rania's personality then thats a poor reflection of their mind-set. In my opinion it does not diminish any of the good work that she or any other royal does. Why should she stop wearing designer clothes because some people only focus on the superficial?
Besides, not everyone thinks that way. One only has to take a look at the KA and QR thread and see how many people have appreciated the way QR has handled herself, not only since the terrorist attacks but before that, when she visited the earthquake victims in Pakistan, the way she spent much of her Ramadan visiting orphans and widows, and thats just during the last few weeks.
Clearly, her designer clothes weren't getting in the way of her performing her duties nor did most of us find them so distracting that we couldn't focus on the good she was doing.

You're right Humera, nobody wants to be judged by the clothes they wear, but the truth is, clothes do define a person.In most societies of the world, clothes are a reflection of oneself.I understand your point and see where the notion such as, "well she has a million dollars why shouldn't be allowed to spend it?"The fact is, there is a time and a place for everything.Personally, I don't agree with Rania's choice of clothing.There are times when there is no need for her to carry a Gucci bag and wear Prada shoes, but then again this is MY OPINION.

 

[Humera]

I dont think its fair to say she looks like she stepped off the runway most of the time. And those people who are familiar with her daily activities would strongly disagree as well. I think that sometimes a lot of people get the wrong impression by seeing only her glamorous pictures in the media or in the fashion threads. Again, i would refer you to what she has been doing over the past month in particular and this year in general.
She always choses her clothing appropriate to the event. If she is addressing a session of the WEF or the Clinton Global intiative earlier this year or any other world body, she'll wear business attire. If she is visiting victims of a disaster she'll wear black or very sombre clothes. If she's running or bicycling in a rally, she'll wear a simple t-shirt and hat and so on.
So I think that there are a lot of misperceptions out there regarding such things. As for looking good and photogenic, that is not her fault nor do I get the impression that her clothes take centerstage all the time. I dont recall anyone here talking about her clothes when she was visiting the earthquake victims in Pakistan nor recently when she's visiting the victims of the terrorist attack.
Even if her clothes are briefly mentioned in some articles in Vogue or Vanity Fair or other media, so are the more substantial things she is doing.
If people make comments sometimes about liking or disliking an outfit she's wearing at any event, like many of us do at TRF, then that is natural and true for every single royal woman wether it is CP Letizia or Mette-Marit or Mary etc.
But that's our problem, not theirs.

 

[Humera]

There are times when there is no need for her to carry a Gucci bag and wear Prada shoes

true. And she doesnt carry and wear them all the time.
One only needs to look at her recent pictures and relevant pictures from the past.

 

[EmmieLou]

I have great respect for Queen Rania, truth be told if it were not for the King and Queen of Jordan being the kind people they seem to be I would probably know nothing about Jordan or its people.

I think Rania is wonderful woman.

 

[Humera]

Same here EmmieLou.
As much as some people like to put her down, if it wasn't for the coverage she has received in the western media, whether for her looks, her work, or her status as a royal, I and many others I know would know nothing about Jordan or its King and Queen.

 

[carlota]

I think the same is happening now in Jordan. Before Wednesday, most of what I read was about Rania's physical appearance and her designer clothing. Very little was said about the good work she did. But these last two days I have not read a single sentence about Rania showing up at a hospital wearing Prada or Gucci, rather about how emotionally stricken and affected she has been, how she wiped tears away and consoled her fellow citizens, how she has held babies and hands of men and women young and old.

i really agree alexandria. time ago the attacks, let's say 1 year ago, i used to see rania as a clotheshorse, not really involved and only caring about fashion and trends. however, some time ago, for some reason i ended up in (i think) unicef's page, where she talked about many issues and offered her image to REALLY be image of that foundation, and not just being a patron of it and not doing anything appart from attending one or two events. there it was when i saw the real rania, the one hiding above all those beautiful and lavish clothes. since that day, i started seeing how she took part really actively, as i said in other thread, in many other totally different causes and i started to admire her a lot. i sincerely don't mind the ammounts of money she spends in clothing (in which she looks always great) if she is doing such a great job. some other princesses spend the same ammounts of money and can't look as good as her, so goo for rania, for being a "queen of today", active and intelligent, and look great at the same time. bravo for her.

 

[polop]

Same here EmmieLou.
As much as some people like to put her down, if it wasn't for the coverage she has received in the western media, whether for her looks, her work, or her status as a royal, I and many others I know would know nothing about Jordan or its King and Queen.

No offense, but that's sad.The only way she can bring attention to her country and issues that matter is by how she dresses and by her looks.Mother Tersea was not the most fashionable person on the planet, but she showed the world that you can make a difference even in the most neglected places.(She wasn't even a queen)

 

[madonna23]

no offense, but those protests don't mean a thing about the jrf's popularity in jordan. i was watching cnn and they pointed out that most jordanians are not very sympathetic to the "I love Abdullah" thing going on at the protest and in all probability, those protesters aren't either.

when measuring the popularity of the jrf, it is too easy to get caught up in the pictures/articles that petra or the jordan times put up but you have to realize that all of these media outlets are controlled by the king himself!

and i hope none of you think that i'm just anti-jrf but it is a well known fact that the king weilds absolute power. there was a poll conducted by a jordanians university that found that most people are too afraid to criticize the government. and it's easy to understand why as even a verbal criticism can lead to jail, torture, etc.

so the king still weilds absolute power:


Absolute power
King Abdullah II, meanwhile, has worked hard to strengthen relations with the West and rebuild bridges with the Gulf states which were broken when his father expressed sympathy for Saddam Hussein at the time of the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990.
But the success of the king's foreign diplomacy has not always been matched by success in pursuing domestic policies.

When he succeeded King Hussein in 1999 there was a general expectation in Jordan that the young king would implement widespread political reforms.

In the event, little has happened.
King Abdullah's power remains absolute. Parliament, political parties and civil society institutions are kept at arm's length. Restrictions on media freedom are as tight as ever. A long-promised National Agenda, billed as a blueprint for long-term political, economic and social reform, still awaits publication.
(http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4424294.stm)

so yeah, coming back to rania, we will never know if she is popular in jordan. she is popular in the west and among jordanians maybe living in the west, but whether she or any other member of the jrf is popular in jordan, well, we will never know.

 

[Humera]

No offense, but that's sad.The only way she can bring attention to her country and issues that matter is by how she dresses and by her looks.

No actually its not sad. You misunderstood what I meant. I didnt say the only way she could bring attention to her country was her wardrobe.
The coverage Im referring to was right after the death of King Hussein and after King Abdullah's enthronement. There were several reports and brief documentaries in the media about Jordan's new young King and Queen and their country. Through that coverage I learned about the problem of honour killings in Jordan, that QR had taken that issue on; about the political situation that Jordan found itself in being right in the middle of a volatile region. I remember the documentary Katie Couric did about Jordan, with the king and queen she went around the various sights in the country, including Petra, showing everyone what an ancient land their little kingdom was. From their palace KA and QR showed Katie how they could see the borders of Israel, Palestine and other ME nations right from their doorstep. And now I see what a perfect metaphor that was for how Jordan is surrounded by such instability. Until now many of us hadnt realized what an anamoly Jordan was in the ME, staying relatively peaceful and unscathed from all the violence that surrounds them. Now that violence is inside the country.

And then I saw KA and QR in the media once again, after September 11, 2001. They were the first in their region to visit the US after the attacks. I remember seeing Queen Rania on Larry King, on Oprah and other media, condemning the attacks and talking about Islam. It was so important and heartening to hear a prominent Muslim voice at that time when Muslims in the west and esp. the US were feeling so much under seige.
I have said this before, both KA and QR have a knack for speaking out and stepping up when very few do.
That is the point. There is a lot of substance out there for people to see, all they have to do is look for it instead of complaining about Rania's clothes. If someone chooses to focus only on the superficial and not the substantial, then thats their problem.

 

[Humera]

no offense, but those protests don't mean a thing about the jrf's popularity in jordan. i was watching cnn and they pointed out that most jordanians are not very sympathetic to the "I love Abdullah" thing going on at the protest and in all probability, those protesters aren't either.

This is somewhat off-top but I wanted to make a few comments.
I watched something similar to what you mentioned on CNN as well.
But thats not exactly how it was put. I remember one of the reporters referring to the fact that there are Jordanians who sympathize with extremists like Zarqawi, as do others in the ME. Clearly that is NOT most Jordanians. Most Jordanians dont want their government and King to be overthrown and be replaced by an extremist theorocracy as Zarqawi wants.

I have been watching both Canadian and American media and the it has been pointed out time and again, that Zarqawi isn't happy with Jordan's pro-west stance nor is it happy with the liberal reforms that have been going on in Jordan. It was infact a CNN report that mentioned that the monarchy in Jordan has been steadily "loosening its grip" on many things which is leading to increasing modernization and that is something Zarqawi and the terrorists dont like.

So I think its very important to put everything in context and get the whole picture before reaching a conclusion about what the demonstrations mean. It is quite obvious that most Jordanians have come out to condemn these attacks passionately. I will mention another CNN report which underlined the fact that Jordan hasn't seen this level of support for the King and monarch since King Abdullah's enthronement (and I have heard the same thing in other American, Canadian, and international media)

 

[madonna23]

a reporter on cnn was asked whether or not the I love Abdullah protesters were actually reflective of reality. and the answer was no: while most if not all jordanians are unsupportive of the recent attack, they don't sympathize with his relations with the U.S. or his normalizaiton with Israel.

also, i don't think there is an either-or choice between Abdullah or Zarqawi-like people. there is a middle-ground which i think is what people seek. someone who doesn't fall to extremists but who also doesn't sell the country to the West. of course, again, we don't know for sure. maybe these people would rather have Zarqawi.

we really can't know because jordan is essentaily run by an absolute monarchy. i mean, the king appoints imams to mosques, he appoints people to parliament, he puts his picture up everywhere in Jordan. and if you happen to say that normalization with Israel or relations with the U.S. or support for the Iraq war is wrong, well, then you get locked up. and there are numberous cases of this in jordan and some are menitoned even on the internet.

Look, this is basically what I'm trying to say: the jrf may or not be good. i don't know. I can't look into their hearts or make any judgements. but don't judge them based on the protests; don't judge them based on what you see in petra; in fact, don't even judge them by what jordanians IN JORDAN say. because, in all probability, that will not be the truth but more likley a highly embellished truth.

just my two cents worth.

 

[Humera]

Ofcourse I know Jordan is an absolute monarchy. As are many countries in the Middle East. Nor would I ever judge the royal family based on Petra which, being the national news agency, has its own point-of-view.
I just think the point about the demonstrations is incorrect. Most of the Jordanians demonstrating against the attacks dont want extremism and suicide bombers in their country and for many of them KA has become a figure-head around whom they can rally, which is completely natural during such times of distress, regardless of how they feel about the King and the royal family. It is sort of like what happened after September 11 in the US, most Americans rallied around their president regardless of their points-of-view and whether they liked him or not.

King Abdullah faces the same problem that many Muslim leaders around the world who want friendly relations with the west have had to confront. I will mention Pakistan's President Musharraf for example. If he had listened to the extremists and the anti-western segment in Pakistan by not supporting the US against the campaign against Al-Qaida, Pakistan itself might be a battleground right now, it could be facing sanctions and, more dangerously, it would have become a haven for terrorist groups.
I know this is going off-topic but my point is, I dont agree with those in the Muslim world who have this notion that their leaders should always be fighting and defying the evil westerners. That is the wrong and hopeless stance to take. We need leaders that can stand up and say we have to take care of our own problems instead of blaming everyone else for it. Just because KA wants to be friendly with the West and with Israel, doesnt mean he's "selling his country."
That is such a wrong view to take.
Hopefully what has happened will make Jordanians see what a difficult position their King is in and that it is not the west that attacked them but their fellow Arabs and those who claim to be Muslim.

 

[madonna23]

well, i just think the chances of that are unlikely. i mean, regardless of whether we want that to happen, there is just such a long history of bad relations with the u.s. that it is not going to just erase due to one attack. in fact, i would argue that it would make very little difference. especially with the ongoing conflict in palestine, iraq, etc. and u.s. pressure on syria and iran which many in the arab world feel is unjustified.

and while i agree that Muslim leaders should not just defy the west for no reason at all but i would think, again considering that a majority of jordanians are palestinians they would not want their leader to have such close ties with israel and the u.s. if most jordanians knew, i think, what the king does, well, they wouldn't be very happy. he's just too close to israel and on a personal level as well. i was reading how he gave ariel sharon one of his the royal arab horses so i mean, things like that, however small are not really reflective of jordanian sentiments.

---

So, just to sum it up, while it is very likley that Jordanians are now less supportive of figures like Zarqawi, that does not automatically translate into support for Abdullah or the JRF. While in the United States example, support for the ruling leader did rise after terrorist attacks, consider the Spanish example: terrorists attacked and the people out-voted the ruling government. The same can occur in Jordan with people increasingly questioning why the JRF has such close ties with the U.S. and Israel.

 

[madonna23]

Lyonnaise, I see you are hear and sorry if we have gone off topic a bit. I hope you will forgive us as this discussion is very relevant to the monarchy.

 

[maryshawn]

Hopefully what has happened will make Jordanians see what a difficult position their King is in and that it is not the west that attacked them but their fellow Arabs and those who claim to be Muslim.

I agree. I think it is important for everyone everywhere to understand terrorists--supporting any cause and of any persuasion--"have more in common with one another than they do with the rest of us." (QN, 2001). I think being a ruler or consort of one in any country is a very tricky position to be in--as most are struggling to find common ground between the countries they represent and other nations--as, in order to survive and find success, they must embrace a global view. At the same time, they must also do their best to maintain the support of their people. It's a fine line to walk--and in this regard, I think Queen Rania is doing a very good job. She represents Jordan very well in the West and she certainly has emanated nothing but empathy, kindness, dignity and genuine sadness during the last few difficult days. From what I can see, her efforts are warmly received by her countrymen. As successor to Queen Noor and someone who was not "training" for the position she finds herself in now, she has had a sharp learning curve not only in Jordan but on the world stage, which loves to build people up then tear them down. Has she made some missteps? Sure. Does everyone love everything she does? I think QR would say certainly not. I continue to hold my position that this is really a defining moment for KA and QR and I can't find fault in anything they've done. If anything, I think her popularity will rise in circles where perhaps it had been wavering, e.g., the "chattering classes" of Jordan--the wealthier elements of society which dubbed her in the VF article a few years ago "the handbag queen". She's acting in a very mature and respectful and compassionate manner. She's older, wiser than when she first assumed her position. I've noticed a change in Rania since she came back from the birth of Prince Hashem. She seems re-energized, purposeful, and she's used her role in a very skillful, diplomatic manner to promote the causes she cares about--like the victims of Pakistan's earthquake, honor killings, issues surrounding the welfare of children, and now the terrorist attacks on Amman. I've watched her for the past six years now and have had some criticisms but, of late, I've been very impressed with the way she is comporting herself. I suspect what I'm seeing isn't lost on her fellow Jordanians either; it doesn't seem to be.

 

[Humera]

madonna I understand what you're saying. There is sympathy for Palestinians and Iraqis all over the Muslim world. But that doesnt automatically translate into extremism or harsh criticism of the US. In most of the western media, Jordan is described as a moderate nation, different from many other nations in the region. Yes there are genuine grievances against the US and the west but that doesnt mean everyone is against dialogue and reconciliation, something that is very important at this time. And the Muslim world needs leaders who can be open to all sides. If I were a Jordanian and living in a region as volatile as the Middle East, I wouldnt want my government to isolate itself completely. The reality is that even if the population doesnt like it, King Abdullah is the one who has to make the difficult decisions based on Jordan’s self-interest.
I'll mention Pakistan again. The government made an important decision, based first and foremost on the country’s own self-interest, to support the Americans in their hunt for Al-Qaida terrorists. If they hadnt done that the Taliban wouldnt have been dealt a serious blow and instead of Afghanistan they'd now be freely operating in Pakistan.

The JRF's close relationship with the US or with Israel may not be popular, but it is based on Jordan's own self interest and security. Jordan is not an independently wealthy or oil-rich arab nation. It relies heavily on aid and support from the west. If that support were to disappear today, I can assure you no wealthy arab nations will be rushing to help Jordanians. I think the record on the generosity (or lack there-of) of the oil-rich sheikhs towards their fellow Arabs and Muslims is quite open.
There was a quote I heard quite recently, it went something like, "individuals have friends, nations have self-interest." I think that sums it up quite well.
I feel that the Spanish example is somewhat different. Most Spanish, like many other Europeans were opposed to the war in Iraq. They felt that the terrorist attacks in Madrid were a direct result of Spain’s participation in the Iraq war. Not wanting your soldiers to die in an American-led war that you think is unjustified is a little different from having close relations with the US.

 

[madonna23]

You are right, Humera, that nations must act in their self-interest. But there is also a question of short and long term interests (allying with the West now = good, but alliances are often temporary, and allying wtih the West for the long term may be detrimental) and I think you can also argue whether or not Jordan's alliance with the West is in the interest of ordinary Jordanians at all. Of course, we can't know yet as it is still too early but if yes, Jordan climbs out of povery and what not then maybe you can make the case that Abdullah's alliance with the West was beneficial.

But if we find out later on that Jordan's proclaimed "self-interest" was actually really only Abdullah's self-interest (you have to admit he has profited considerably by allying with the West), then I think you can make the case that the alliance was detrimental to ordinary Jordanians.

Also, there is the question of just what Jordan's self-interest is: economic success or something more value-based such as an Islam-oriented or even Arab-nationalist country . So while the JRF may feel that the economic aid that comes from the U.S. is in JOrdan's self-interest, Jordanians may feel it is not worth the price of allying with the West. They may feel that values are more important (not that economic success and values are mutually exclusive, but I'm just simplifying here).

hmmm...and we have to see if Jordan will follow the Spanish example. Jordanians may feel, for example, that relations with the US resulted in the attacks and that will give them an impetus to steer away from the US. Already, Jordanians are not very pro-American. I think polls find that 99% of Jordanians opposed to US policies. So I think it's quite possible that Jordanians may start to question why their leader is so close to the West. And maybe the attacks will provide the impetus for that, maybe not. We have to wait and see, I guess.

-----

Also, Humera, I hope you don't take this argument personally. It's nice I think to be able to have a conversation with someone who disagrees with you on some points. It can open our eyes to different views. Sometimes when I speak to people who I don't agree with, I end up understanding their point of view much better and sometimes I even end up agreeing with them. So I think this sort of conversation is very benefical and enlightening and I hope you and others feel the same way.

 

[Humera]

no im not taking this personally. I actually agree with a lot of what you've said. I just feel that everyone should have a fair chance of proving themselves. I do think that KA and QR can do a lot of good with time.
I only hope that as unpopular as the relationship with the US and Israel may be with Jordanians (esp. those of Palestinian origin) it is always good to have a way to engage in dialogue, only then can the Muslim and Arab leaders influence US policy.
This discussion reminds me of something Queen Rania said when she was on the Today show back in late May. She was talking about visiting a school for Jordanian children with Laura Bush. The school had been funded with US aid. QR said that she hoped gestures like that will show Jordanians the good side of US policy.
btw. this sort of discussion is quite familiar to me as a Canadian. We are America's closest neighbour and biggest trading partner. Canadians in general want to have friendly relations with the US but they dont like it if our government is too cosy with Washington. It also depends on who the president happens to be. Clinton was very popular here but Bush seems to be disliked by many and most Canadians disagree with his policies (ofcourse that is true internationally).
So I can only imagine how difficult it must be for and Arab leader like King Abdullah to balance both sides in this situation.