Thank you, we should keep it in perspective. Countries like this change sides like the wind.
Of course this adminstration's hope is that those partnered for a long term fight against all forms of terrorism, shall by that virtue, come closer together on other matters. One reason some of these countries change sides, are simply do not choose sides is that they need strong "reliable support", from a given larger power. The US and Britain to name the two key elements in this, and to a lesser degree say the French, must show these countries they will not abandon them. We cannot afford to support regime change in the ME, without standing by our word, such is happening in Iraq this time around. These peoples unlike much of the western nations really do look up to strong support. They dispise wishy washy performance. The US must show Jordan and other ME countries that it will not turn it's face from them once agreements are commited. That has been a big problem all along in the ME, in so many ways. GWB has through public dialog this time around taken a consistant view that he would like these peoples to have a brighter future. He unlike many earlier administrations, consistantly speaks to the peoples of these nations in a direct form.
OK I will risk ridicule, and make a brash statement.
Bush reaches his hand out to the people of these lands and offers his hand in peace, saying we have the power to help you get out of the sh*tholes you live in. If you countries reform in your view of the rest of the world, the USA will be a long term friend. In some ways it could be as simple as this. Now if Iraq goes according to plan. It is going to be harder for the hardliner Islamofacist elements in these lands to say, look folks, you must continue to live in a hole, you have no rights, you owe your life to allah, and what we say is what you must follow. As apposed to GWB's hand being reached out and saying. Your God gave you a free spirit, a will, a chance to better yourself and make your children's lives more bearable in the future.
That in essence is what GWB continues to harp on with IMHO, good cause. A friend that has been helped and achieves some degree of success is not going want to bite the hand that was offered in friendship. And as human nature has always been. The stronger better equiped side of the friendship must never be seen as being two sided. Perhaps my tagline sums up what I am attempting to communicate.
Lastly. Do not take examples of Saudi Arabia and Iran in times past as rebuttals. Because in both these cases we simply where supporting the installed leadership, not the peoples directly. To many and rightfully so can wade through all the things we did wrong in these two sited cases. But they do not fit into the model of diplomacy I elude to above, in fact quite the contrary.
Jordon has, for decades, been one of the most democratic of countries in the region -much to the ire of the Islamofacists - al-Zarqawi and his minions have been fighting Jordan for years - even attempted to bomb the same Hotels in 1998-9 - long before there was a Pres. Bush.
Jordon is a target because it espouses much more individual freedom than the other Muslim countries around it.
Let's not make the mistake of blanket judgment