For too long, governments of the Middle East and outside actors have operated in short-term crisis mode, presenting piecemeal policies which fail to tackle the cycles of instability and violence in the region. There is a clear and present need to confront the cross-border issues facing the Middle East with a strategy that takes a regional, rather than country-by-country, view. The Kingdom of Jordan, wedged between the Gulf monarchies, the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and escalating twin crises in Syria and Iraq, can and must be the cornerstone of such a strategy.
For over three years, Jordan has lived with armed conflict effectively on its doorstep, as Syria has descended into a violent civil war. Thus far, the Kingdom has remained a relative oasis of stability in a troubled region, managing to host hundreds of thousands of Syria refugees who have streamed across the border while still attracting tourists from neighboring Gulf countries and further afield in large numbers.
The full article is originally published on The Brookings Institutions.