Jordan is More Complicated

By Micah Halpern

I've Been Thinking:

Jordan is demonstrating great furor and fury in their fight against ISIS. So much so, that the Jordanians are decorating their bombs with verses from the Koran condemning ISIS.

On their return flight from a bombing raid that targeted ISIS, fighter jets did an honorary pass over the home town of their fallen pilot-in-arms.

And while it is not being spoken about, I am certain that Jordan has begun special ground ops raids into Iraq to get better intelligence about ISIS and even to attack ISIS encampments.

The King rushed back from the United States where he had been visiting to take his place at the helm of his country in this time of crisis. He has announced that Jordan will double down in their fight against ISIS.

Not all of Jordan agrees with the King and with the anger aimed at ISIS. There is a part of Jordan that is in agreement with ISIS beliefs and tactics and it is important to know what they are saying. Be prepared to see real divisiveness in Jordan - and by extension, in the rest of the Arab world.

After the video of the burned and mutilated Jordanian pilot went viral, many Jordanians took to social media with a hashtag that quickly became popular and reads:#notourwar and #notmypilot.

A large group of Jordanians are not empathizing with the pilot, his family, or his mission - but they are empathizing with his brutal murderers, the ISIS terrorists.

The pilot came from a tribe that was extremely loyal to the King of Jordan. That tends to be the division. Tribes are loyal while

Palestinians, who compose about 60% of Jordan, tend to be less loyal and consequently less trusted by the King.

The potential for internal conflict in Jordan is huge and ISIS knows it. So does the King. Jordan has turned into a potential, future, battle ground for ISIS.

Micah@MicahHalpern.com 

Read my latest book THUGS. It's easy. Just click. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=halpern%2C+micah
To reprint my essays contact sales (at) www.featurewell.com