Strategic Assessment
After 46 years of rule by King Hussein – a lengthy period by any standard, and certainly in terms of the Middle East – it is difficult to assess how the Kingdom of Jordan will be managed without him. During the course of his long rule, a strong link was established between Hussein, the man and leader, and his regime. His passing has created a shadow of uncertainty over the character of the Hashemite regime, its stability, and its policies in the coming period. Such uncertainty would have existed even if Prince Hassan, groomed for the job by Hussein over a generation, had inherited the throne; with the last-minute accession of King Abdullah, it is all the greater. Abdullah still has only limited experience with Jordan’s domestic and foreign policies, and his stands on issues central to the country’s management are not sufficiently clear. He promises, as might have been expected, that he will continue his father’s policies. It is fair to assume, however, that he is only beginning to formulate his own policy lines, and that these will be shaped through a process of trial and error over the coming years.