Jordan's Security Backbone: Pluralism and National Unity

His Majesty King Abdullah II, described as the 43rd generation direct descendant of the Prophet Mohammad, ascended the throne of the Hashemite Kingdom on the death of his father in February 1999. Educated in the US and UK, after training at the British military academy at Sandhurst, he served as a major general in the Jordanian Army. During his 14-year reign, the kingdom's economy has flourished, and he has played a major role in encouraging an Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Here, Danziger features His Majesty to illuminate, in his own words, the roots of Jordan's extraordinary record of security and democracy and the unique challenges posed by the complex neighborhood where his nation finds itself. Adapted from the source document.