King’s visit has ‘important implications’

The King’s visit to Salt last week, where he met with several army veterans, has many important implications.

The army generals represent all shades of opinions of the Jordanian society. 

They felt resentment for being kept in the dark about major decisions taken to face the great challenges threatening the country since the freeze of US Secretary of State John Kerry’s mediation efforts to solve the Israeli-Palestinian deadlock and the impact on Jordan.

The army veterans were open, frank and transparent in their views that denounced the attempt of seven of their colleagues, aligned with local radical Marxists, to jump onto the wagon of Arab Spring and issue statements against the regime, claiming that they represent over a quarter of a million retired army officers.

The Salt meeting reiterated the deep-seated loyalty to the King, and the strong allegiance to the Throne.

The army veterans asked to be briefed on what their assignment is now, since they were the ones who carried the burden during the crucial times of the 1960s and 1970s.

When the country is facing existential dangers due to the geopolitical upheavals afflicting the entire region, retired army officers refuse being sidelined. It maintains allegiance to the Throne, but is kept far from any major decision-making process that will have an impact on future generations.

The Salt meeting preceded another equally important initiative within the Parliament: the formation of a new political bloc composed of over 20 of its elected members who are former army generals and staff officers and who carry weight in the voting system in decision-making process.

His Majesty the King dispelled the fears of the veterans and said the country will experience prosperity and stronger security following an end to the crises in Syria, Iraq and Palestine.

The King won the minds and hearts of his interlocutors who were assured that our homeland will be the winner in the end.

It is true that Kerry’s framework for peace carried certain proposals that would affect the demographic composition of Jordan, but the American proposals were shelved, along with nine other international endeavours to put an end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Jordanian army veterans, with their loyalty to the King and allegiance to the Throne, will no longer accept to be mere spectators when the protagonists on the stage formulate major decisions transforming the whole image of the country.

Participation in the political life through more openness of the official media, formation of parties, societies and wide-ranging forums might be the proper way to go in this respect.