The SAS train with the Warrior-King

Amman, Jordan—Always more comfortable in fatigues than in a suit and tie, King Abdullah spent 35 years in the military before he was crowned. As with many foreign royals, Abdullah was sent to Great Britain for his education. In 1980, he graduated from Sandhurst Royal Military Academy (the British Army’s West Point). As a newly […]

Jordanian prime minister resigns in the wake of national protests

On Monday, Jordanian Prime Minister Hani Mulki resigned in the wake of nationwide anti-austerity protests by Jordanian citizens who are distraught over price inflation of general goods and rising unemployment rates; the protests went on for five straight days. The protests were in the thousands and eventually drew the attention of King Abdullah II who in turn summoned […]

Eager Lion: Jordan and US forces train in massive CENTCOM exercise

The U.S. Department of Defense has announced the commencement of the annual training exercise known as “Exercise Eager Lion 18” from April 18-26, 2018. Approximately 3,600 service members from the U.S. will work alongside their Jordanian counterparts in order to better train cooperatively for any future engagements the countries may endure together. This culminating exercise […]

How solar power changed the lives of Syrian refugees in Jordan

Azraq refugee camp in Jordan recently became the first solar-powered refugee camp on earth. “Thanks to solar energy, we now feel like we have rejoined the 21st century,” said one refugee after solar power ended frequent power outages. Solar energy has also brought jobs into Jordanian refugee camps, but private investment remains crucial if green […]

Leaked documents reveal financial habits of Queen Elizabeth and Trump officials

A huge leak of financial documents revealed by a group of about 100 media organizations on Sunday provided deep insights into some of the mechanisms used by top politicians and celebrities to escape paying taxes. Offshore funds are often used to avoid paying high taxes, and their use is not necessarily illegal, though when they are being used by […]

Paradise Papers expose offshore tax secrecy of Middle East elite

Sons of the Turkish prime minister, a Jordanian dowager Queen and a Saudi prince who owns a superyacht longer than a football pitch, are just a few Middle Eastern figures whose offshore dealings have been laid bare by one of the largest ever data leaks. Published by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), the […]

Jared Kushner visited the Middle East this week to revive peace talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders — here’s how it unfolded

Jared Kushner, a White House adviser and son-in-law of President Donald Trump, wrapped up his trip to the Middle East on Thursday, for which the top priority on the agenda was furthering peace talks between Israel and Palestine. The US described Kushner’s trip as “productive,” despite rumors of disquiet on the Palestinian side. Kushner was accompanied […]

Watch: SECDEF James Mattis delivers an impromptu speech to deployed troops in Jordan

Defense Secretary James Mattis has a reputation as a no-nonsense public speaker, and perhaps one of the most quotable war fighters of the modern era.  During his tenure in the United States Marine Corps, Mattis secured his place in the hearts of American service members with memorable statements like, “I come in peace. I didn’t […]

Kushner to meet with Mideast leaders in latest attempt at peace deal

Jared Kushner, President Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser, will soon travel to the Middle East for yet another foray into trying to forge a peace deal between Israelis and Palestinians, one of the most difficult diplomatic assignments of the Trump administration. Mr. Kushner, who traveled to the region in June, will be accompanied on the […]

Families speak out on murderer who killed Green Berets in Jordan

James Moriarty, the father of James Moriarty Jr. recently posted on social media regarding the conviction of the Jordanian Air Force gate guard who killed his son along with fellow Green Berets Matthew Lewellen and Kevin McEnroe saying: Today the FBI advised the families that Maarek abu Tayeh’s appeal has been denied and his sentence […]