Jordan's king dismisses government, appoints new PM

[Che -Guevara]

(CNN) -- The king of Jordan dismissed his government Tuesday and appointed a new prime minister, a move follows protests calling for political reform.

 

King Abdullah II asked Marouf Al Bakhit to form a government that will implement "genuine political reform," the Royal Court said in a statement.

 

The government will "take practical steps, quick and concrete, to launch a process of genuine political reform, comprehensive development, and take genuine steps towards strengthening democracy," among other tasks, according to Al Bakhit's letter of instruction, which was also released.

 

Last week, Islamists, leftists and union members marched in downtown Amman, demanding more significant economic and political reforms to help struggling citizens. Police estimated several thousand people gathered in the Jordanian capital for the event, although about half of them demonstrated. There were protests in six other cities as well, authorities said.

 

CNN's Salma Abdelaziz and Journalist Amy Hybels contributed to this report.

[Che -Guevara]

Preempting demonstrators :p

[NGONGE]

^^ They will still demonstrate. The new prime minister used to be the Jordanian ambassador to Israel. Heh.

[The Zack]

King Abdalla has made multiple changes in his government since he came to power in 1999 and always called it a "genuine reform" LOL.

[Gheelle.T]

The disease is catching up and spreading like bush fire... Syria, here i come!

[Jacpher]

^It's not a cudur. It's the loud calls for democracy Washington has been urging in the Middle East far too long. We often heard Israel is the only democratic country in the ME. Way too many, we heard George Bush push democracy in ME. I think finally the people of the ME heard them calls loud and clear. Washington is getting its calls answered.

 

Palestinian and Iraqis make up more than half of the population in Jordan, I don't know if their protests has as much momentum as masaarida.

[Gheelle.T]

Jacpher, for the dictators in the ME, this is indeed a cudur they have no cure for it. They are (leaders) all in panicking mood and they scratching their heads to find a way to calm the populace without leaving office. But it seems that people have no appetite for this kind of talk anymore, the reform talk they have been hearing all their lives. Let it spread, let the voice of the people be heard or else......

[Che -Guevara]

Jacpher-Are you being serious or sarcastic?

 

LooooooooL@NGONGE.

[Faarax-Brawn]

Bush, started this all. Now,the muslim brotherhood will take over egypt and the ME will be the new world oder. Bush...

[Jacpher]

I get your points Gheele but was just pointing out the irony and the mixed messages. I don't think these leaders have agenda of their own. They are kept in a box and on a leash that they can't literally get out of. Explains the level Mubarak is so detached from reality on the ground. I think a good replacement of Mubarak is not there yet but once that replacement is found, he's out.

 

lol@Che. Of course I am articulating the average Joe on the street. Bush promotes democracy and regime change for eight years. Clinton says Iranians should have a right to self-determination to true democracy. Obama goes there and speaks the need for reform and democracy.

 

I know not everyone understands the gray area to everything.

[Che -Guevara]

Jacpher...The era of he's SOB but he's our SOB might be coming to end but you should credit Bush's invasion:)

 

 

Amazing how American choice of words evolved from 'Biden's Mubarak is not dictator' to 'Obama's transitional order'

[Valenteenah.]

Interesting. Jordan is fairly stable, I don't think there will much rocking of the boat here.

[Che -Guevara]

^One could have made the same argument about Egypt's two weeks ago. Same conditions exist in Jordan, maybe not so acute.

[ElPunto]

Theses protests have nothing to do with Washington's fake words about democracy or the Iraq invasion.

[Valenteenah.]

Che, true, no one thought the Egyptians could pull off an actual revolution this time last month but the Jordanians are not nearly as hungry for change and their king is a lot more liked than Mubarak.