EDITOR'S NOTE: Jordan's King Abdullah sat down with CNN Senior National Security Producer Suzanne Kelly to talk about the Arab Spring and Jordan's influence in the region and its efforts toward negotiating a lasting Middle East peace. Watch for more stories from Suzanne's interview with the King soon.
By Suzanne Kelly
He was the first Arab leader to call for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to step down, yet after months of violence and a less than successful effort by the Arab League to stop the killing of protesters, King Abdullah of Jordan says don't expect change in Syria overnight.
"I don't see Syria going through many changes. I think what you're seeing in Syria today, you will continue to see for a while longer," Abdullah said in an interview with Security Clearance.
"It's a very complicated puzzle and there is no simple solution. If you can imagine Iraq being a simple solution to move Iraq into the light a couple of years ago and it's different in Libya, so it has everybody stumped and I don't think anybody has a clear answer on what to do about Syria."
Abdullah is in Washington to meet with President Barack Obama and his administration as Jordan makes a renewed push to restart peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians in the midst of the Arab Spring, which for the past year has engulfed the region in turmoil and change.
Jordan sits in a tough spot. A relatively small country of just 6 million, it shares a border with Syria and has been taking in waves of people fleeing violence. To the west, there is Israel and tensions with Iran over it's nuclear program. While Israeli officials have played down the idea of taking military action against Iran in recent days, Abdullah is opting for a "big picture" solution, which of course, he believes ultimately leads back to the peace process.
"The saber-rattling from both sides we have heard on a very regular basis over the past couple of years. My answer to military options on Iran: If you solve the Israeli-Palestinian problem, then Iran is no longer a military problem for you because what are their positions against Israel? The future of the Palestinians and the future of Jerusalem. If we solve that with the peace problem, then the Iranian threat is taken off the table. I think that's a much easier and cheaper way of solving the problem."
When it comes to Iran and Syria, sometimes where you sit makes all the difference in what you see. Take, for example, shared concerns about Iranian influence in Iraq as the United States pulls out troops.
"I think if you were in an Iranian's shoes and you were looking at the region and where they would like to play an influence, what's obviously happening in Syria is going to affect them negatively, because they feel that they're losing an ally if something happens with the regime or as it is today, because of the internal dimensions of Syria, it's not as an effective partner for the Iranians, so naturally I think the Iranians will be looking towards Iraq and having a stronger influence there."
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arabs believe in one line and is good to finish the arab spring ... then they will study and remember history well.
The crimes that Assad family and their collaborator committed against syrian people is unprecidented in the whole history of modern and ancient syria. Assad and his thugs inflicted hardship and pain on all syrians including Alawite. His father Hafez Assad did horrible atrocities against Salah Jidid an Alawite and his group to gain power in syria.
90% OF Christians in middle east hate Assad for what he did in Lebanon. Assad is trying hard to creat division in syria by orchestrating events. He willl never succeed. Syria is not Iraq....
Syrians are going to get rid of ASSAD and the idiot president with his thugs. It is a matter of time as the King of Jordan stated. It is not only the Alawite who are supporting him. Many honest Alawites are against the president brother who is known to be mentaly ill with history of psychiatric problems that required therapy. The whole syria is at the whimpe of this mentaly ill man. Same was the holocast due to Hitler the maniac. USA and Israel has moral obligation to the region to get rid of this regime unless they want to hand it on silver plate to Russia and this out of their dreams.
Syrians are going to get rid of ASSAD ban
So far it seems this guy is the coolest head in the region. His idea makes sense but I'm not sure it's enough. When you have people that have been born and raised to believe a specific way it's nearly impossible for them to suddenly spin their lives, feelings and thoughts 180 degrees and "believe" something different. Each side has learned to hate and fear the other for generations. This won't just suddenly disappear with the signing of a piece of paper. It CAN happen...it HAS happened...but not overnight and not without a lot of followup work from all parties.
I wish them all both peace and luck.
My 2 cents...
It makes sense for Iran to rethink its stretegy. However much loyalty counts, the cleric regime has to be realistic: Syria is a nonstarter, while Iraq is a Thoroughbred. Bashar al-Assad's regime – the Alawite – belongs to an ethnic minority in Syria. Al-Malika's regime has wide support from Iraq's ethnic majority, the Shiites.
That Syria is not changing so soon has to do with the opposition, which lacks consolidation and the reluctance of the West to intervene. Change has to come from within. Turkey and the GCC are pulling the strings behind the scenes.
The globalization of super pawer is just like fitmization of the world. Oh arabs, expecialy syria, dont sleep, wake up together at ones, A solution to this problem is to wage war with them. But mind you, their time have past this is our time. Spark with them, they will relief you. Great youth in syria.
All this king is trying to do is to protect his behind
I think this king is one of the few leaders who have legitimate concern and actually makes sense. If the plight of the Palestinian people is resolved, it really does weaken support and footing for the Iranians.
So what is wrong with Iran gaining more influence in Iraq? The americans are going to the pacific side of the world to "engage" countries in that area. What do they mean by engage or some other words used? They are trying to buy influence with aircraft carriers and defence budget (pecunia plebis- the money of the people). This is the american choice in their attempt to control the world, but they had a chance to do almost whatever they wanted in Iraq and they failed to secure the minds of the people, However, the western oil companies took the battle prize of huge oilfield contracts, a battle paid for by the citiZens of the united states. Isn't this some form of transfer payment to big oil companies? Maybe the us should transfer some payments to the old negro american lady living with 6 children in a rat-infested deserted, windowless house in the Harlem.
I hate to burst your bubble but "the West" didn't get the oil contracts. Look it up. US was all but frozen out of the first (and most lucrative) bidding process. And, if I read correctly, the vast majority of contracts with Iraq leave them in control of most of the profit so no matter who got the contract Iraq makes a good buck. I've been reading about separate contracts with the Kurds that aren't going through the Iraqi government so those may well be different but they by no means represent the majority of Iraqs' oil output.
In short, you're wrong dude...US isn't "getting paid" for invading Iraq....it cost us plenty.
My 2 cents...
The only way to solve this is to wage total war on all of them. A grateful world will thank us for it.
Oh great, and the whole Arab world will see Zionist war against Islam, That will earn a nuclear demonstation.
because not enough people hate israel already?
Bring the BIG checkbook dude....war ain't cheap and it ain't pretty. And while you're at it, bring your handgun and rifle and get in line with the soldiers you would send out to fight for you.
If you're going to insist on war you'd better be ready to put your money AND your life where your mouth is or your just another armchair general with nothing of value to offer.
My 2 cents...
"..The future of the Palestinians and the future of Jerusalem. If we solve that with the peace problem, then the Iranian threat is taken off the table. I think that's a much easier and cheaper way of solving the problem." Not true, because then Israel will not have any excuse for grabbing lands. Israel's population is growing and they need land. So, peace with palestine is not in the best interest for Israel.
The iranian stands hav b the stands of osama bin laden and his followers and would b the stand of the new egypt.arabs dnt hate america 4 nothin.they see america as a force behind isreal. If palestine and isreal culd find a way to make peace then M.E can b peaceful again.
give peace a chance
Pot to kettle mr Abdullah.
This tell's you a lot about ta M.E. If they can't figure it out how the hell are the morons we elect here going to figure it out.
They keep doing the same dumb @hit and expecting different results, It time to change the dynamic's of our engagement with the M.E. or get the F@@@ out. to do otherwise is just plain stupid.
People should understand the problems of the middle east. I' m trying to understand want it cost to understand the difference
the only thing this guy is thinking , i hope syria , egypt and so on is not contagious. if you want to see this guy spill his coffee , tell him israel is going to strike iran.