Asher Susser, Jordan and the Islamic State Challenge

December 27, 2015

Asher Susser, “Jordan and the Islamic State Challenge,” Institute for National Security Studies, December 2015.

Jordan faces internal challenges and economic hardships that are feeding off each other. Many young people are unemployed and see no way to attain power, prestige and prosperity for themselves and their families. Salafism and Salafi jihadism thus have an appeal to this generation. Nonetheless, Jordan is coping relatively well with the ramifications of the Arab Spring and the challenges posed by the Islamic State, thanks to its degree of stateness, internal cohesion, the resolve of its elites (their criticism of the kingdom notwithstanding), and the interests and goodwill of its allies.