Jordan (Creation of the Modern Middle East)

Was war raged in Iraq, the people of Jordan watched the volatile situation in the country on their eastern border with a growing sense of fear. They had good reason. Each day, thousands of Iraqi refugees streamed into Jordan. With the Iraqi insurgency growing bolder by the day, the Jordanians feared that the insurgents planned to spread their violent brand of Islamic fundamentalism elsewhere in the region—particularly into Jordan. They suspected that many terrorists were entering their country in the guise of refugees. In fact, violence had come to be a way of life in many Middle East countries—particularly after the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003. The war helped fuel the anger of Islamic fundamentalists who oppose Western influences they believe run counter to the teachings of Muhammad, the seventh-century prophet who founded the Islamic faith. For years, the government of Jordan had infuriated Islamic extremists because of its strong support of the United States. That policy was followed by Jordan’s longtime king, Hussein ibn Talal, who also signed a treaty with Israel, Jordan’s western neighbor and another target of Islamic extremism. When King Hussein died in 1999, his son and successor, Abdullah II, continued his country’s strong support for the United States and Israel.

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