Eli, I don't want to shift focus of this post from the Jordanian reaction to what's going on in Iraq, people have already spoken volumes on this matter. I don't want to debate it again, but I really want to answer some of the points that came in your comment, mainly because I think you deserve to to know a little bit more about the situation. I do realize that you know quite a bit, but maybe it's time to get a little bit more information from a different perspective (not opposite)

with all do respect, Liberate Iraq from who? Their IRAQI leader? And substitute him with occupation forces!? Liberate to occupy! Come on!
Any occupation forces is not better than any one else. As long as there is occupation there will be violence and unrest and this is to say the least. Add to that that the real reasons of the occupation are NOT the welfare of the Iraqi people (they were there for 20 years suffering, so just right now out of the blue the US wants to play world police)
And to prove your point about occupation, look at the shameful practices of service men, killing, mutilation, torture, rape, just one scandal after the other and the toll? 650,000 civilians dead! And the number is rising.
I don't know where you've been living for the past 2 years. But if this is not utmost failure of an operation. I have no idea what else could be considered failure.
As for Oil dependency, Again, I have no idea where you get your information from, but with a record number of SUVs sold in the US, it's highly unlikely that this is going to happen any time soon. Till then .. Hally Burton will run the show

Do you really think the US will withdraw from Iraq if it was stable? I don't know if you really believe that. But as long as special interest groups are running the elections and thereby the whole of the US their private wars will still be waged. And occupation will continue.
As for hating the US, Eli, come on never hated the US, the majority of all Arabs especially post Bush era loved the US this includes factions deemed terrorist by the US government. Arabs DO NOT HATE THE US. The whole world has a position against the US policies these days. NOT the people. But oftentimes it's innocent civilians that pay the price of the actions of the government. You don't have to go far to prove my theory, just cross the border to Canada, and see if you're getting the same respect that you once enjoyed only 6 years ago.

You are kidding about the US and Israel! This is something that even the US and Israeli governments don't deny. Israeli support comes mostly from the US, and this is not something that any one is shy from putting forward. It's a fact. Well documented.
Now I wouldn't go as far as saying that it's the US to blame for what Israel is doing. But the US must shoulder greater responsibility towards what the Israeli government is doing. Hundreds of Palestinians killed in couple of days and Mr Bush comes out and says Israel is defending itself! Come on.

The solutions are simple and available yet they're being avoided by the US government. End the occupation, stop the blind support to Israel, Stop Vetoing security council resolutions against Israel. Implement UN Resolutions against Israel (instead of Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Iran) only. Put the wellfair of the majority (the millions of Arabs and Americans) in the balance before the welfare of the few in Israel, and you will get your peaceful solution. It doesn't need to happen overnight, but not worrying about these issues for ever means they WILL explode and continue to explode until they consume the whole region and one day the world. Because some issues just don't go away with time. ESPECIALLY issues like the millions of Palestinian refugees

Nothing would make me happier than this region going back to the stability it had in the early 70's. But I guess that will never happen now. Israel wages a war once every decade almost. And People in the middle east are really getting frustrated by this. I see this reaching a boiling point and very soon

I totally agree with you, Saddam needs to pay for his crimes, and so should the US government, and the Israeli government, and every occupier and murder there is.  Remember again, that the number of people killed under his rule was WAY LESS then under the American rule. Quite sad really.

The US couldn't care less about what he caused to his people, the us SUPPLIED and SUPPORTED and turned it's eye to what ever he was doing. This is just a charade nothing more, nothing less. He killed those people 20 years ago. And only now this is an issue for the moral US? Come on ... please don't insult our intelligence with such nonsense.

Again, Saddam sucks, he should have been replaced, assassinated, overthrown a million years ago. But it was the US support that kept him in power and allowed him to continue what he was doing.

And yes, No more bloodshed, we continue to pray that people in Iraq will eventually find life and peace. And that Citizens of the United states stop listening to their biased media and see what's going on in the world as it really is

Eli, I pray to god that you didn't vote Republican :)

Alright, that was a huge comment, I don't know where to start.
Once again, this post is not about Iraq, but I guess there is no way around this...
The number of people killed in hundreds of thousands is not acceptable, I don't care what the justification of the final numbers are going to. These are innocent civilians
And yes, if someone is committing "things" in their country no one has the right to be world police. They can rally the whole UN behind their cause and get some consensus to go ahead and take action. Not take it upon themselves to force change down people's throats
The US is not moving from Oil dependency any time soon, there are efforts being made and I hope they will be fruitful in the future
US Went to Iraq for:
1) Revenge from Saddam
2) Control the middle east
3) Control oil (It's NOT a US right who has it, if people have it and chose not to sell it, taking it by force is considered ..... ?)
4) Iraq paused no threat to the US or it's neighbors at the end of 2003, they have complied and had UN sanctions against them that lead to the deaths of over 1 million Iraqi children due to lack of medications and essentials
5) Countries have the right to defy US foreign policy, this is their sovereignty which means. They have the right to disagree, the US has no right forcing or going to war against anyone on that basis

I disagree that US didn't go there for PERSONAL interest. Not the best interest of the Iraqi or anyone else for that matter. Can we stop arguing about that? EVERY NATION on the PLANET goes after their interests. Lets STOP incriminating the motive and forget about the means that lead to the situation we have today
Iraqi companies were running the oil production preoccupation. They were selling oil to everyone INCLUDING the US. And they complied with OPIC prices. If they so choose not to sell to the US, there are many alternatives for the US government. WAR is not an acceptable alternative. If someone uses their natural resources to protest US policies that is their right. It doesn't matter if it's Oil, gas, or what ever. Taking it by force again is thievery. Just the thought that "We wouldn't allow them to use oil as a weapon against us" is an imperialistic statement meaning the US is above all moral code. It wouldn't be the case if it was Russia who refused to sell something to the US.
The oil market is like any other market governed by supply and demand, and I doubt Saddam could have controlled it with it's 2million barrels a day, something Nigeria can match. We didn't talk about Saudi, Kuwait, UAE and the rest of the oil producing countries. (Including Venezuela)
American ventures are not god's gift to humans on this planet. If they choose to close their markets to them, to promote their domestic products. That's their right too. There is no law that enforces this.
Insurgency is not there to stop democracy! They're totally unrelated things. Insurgents=Freedom fighters wanting to rid their country from external forces. Anything home brewed is not related. Forcing democracy or any set of ideals on anyone is absolutely the opposite of giving freedom. Once you force ANYTHING on anyone you take away their freedom. Insurgency exists ONLY because of the occupation. Civil war exists because the delicate balance has been ruined by someone who obviously has no idea how to deal with the situation. No plan, no exit strategy, failure on so many levels in basic planning
The government there is going to collapse because it's been forced onto the people. All the fighting factions don't accept it or care for it ... so it's only natural that it might end up collapsing. Unlike the government in Venezuela for example which despite all US efforts to force a change has remained strong and embraced it's leadership.
Saddam and his sons were brutal assholes. No one is disputing those facts. But at least they know how to strike a balance and control the country. The end result. Iraq prospered under them. No one can deny that. They had a solid economy, a huge amount of advancements in all fields and a lot of wealth. THAT'S what the US didn't show. Iraq was one of the most advanced countries in the middle east right before 1991 second gulf war
Yes, Sons would steal the wives, but the US also doesn't set the standards on holding morality with one scandal after another for senators and politicians molesting children, raping minors and in some cases murder and cover ups.
The PEOPLE of the US are NOT the GOVERNMENT of US! I totally agree, people of the US might aim at being as great as they can towards the Iraqi people. However, the US government and it's foreign policy is totally something else. The people of the US have spoken their words in popularity pulls. And I absolutely support them in that
I don't think voting republican is the answer. It's time to try something else. Apparently it was not working, it's not going to work now.
Democrats never said they want to withdraw troops! They are in favor of withdrawing but in a"Smarter" way away from the best interests of interest groups and for the best interest of both the Iraqi and American people

Keeping the troops there indefinitely is not the answer, it will achieve nothing. Except more young men coming home in body bags, and more suffering for the Iraqi people. To put out a fire you need to do one of 3 things. (A) Remove oxygen, (B) Remove the fuel, (c) remove heat. project that on the current situation and tell me what works.

If and when the US leaves Iraq, there will be major issues to deal with. I don't see an easy answer and don't think just picking up and leaving is a right solution either.  This needs to be considered from ALL dimensions and a decision is then needed to ease up the tension. But a change in foreign policy for the US is LONG overdue. Playing world bully is NOT acceptable, no one accepts it regardless of their local

Another issue you throw in there that is not really a place to discuss in a single comment, this is becoming part of a book. The issue of what's happening in Palestine goes back 60 years. Not one or two. Many of the people of Gaza are people who were driven out of their homes (look up genocide) in Palestine by the Israeli occupation forces. When they fight back with home made firecrackers you don't go and systematically commit atrocity after atrocity and have the whole world stand still. If the same was done in Iraq you would have "Liberated" it 20 years ago. People have the right to defend themselves. I have no doubt. But what's happening is murder. It's like the Spaniards did when they occupied south America. Only it's happening in the 21st century. It's not acceptable. And the US Standing still and not doing anything about it is another reason people feel outrage. When the single pole in the world is not doing anything to protect innocent civilians who have been under this occupation and oppression for the past 60 years.
Anyway, that's a whole other matter, we can talk about it at a alter time. But always remember that what ever the Palestinians are doing is a REaction towards the unjust situation they're in right now. Israeli blood is not more valuable than Palestinian blood. Remember that

Stem cell research? You're making me laugh. Do you think what ever you decide in the booth is going to stop this from happening? China is already performing HUMAN cloning and we're still worried about stem cell research that may hold one day the cure for people who have alzheimer's, cancer and other diseases?? Come on... these are not even Animals this is tissue that otherwise be thrown in the garbage!

I thank you for your statement about Bush, but what I truly believe is that for the first time in US history it was CLEAR that the president is NOT an instrument of the people. Let me correct that. Not an instrument for ALL the people. But rather special interest groups that are mandating and forcing the US policies and it's quite sad to see this first hand.

I'm not contradicting myself. The situation of Iraq and Gaza is only similar in who's enforcing the oppression. In the case of Gaza it's Israel. And most are only asking the US to just back off or at least reduce it's blind support/protection/aid/cover-up to Israel. And consider the poor people living under the worst of conditions
Now, the revenge part is simple, and well known. George W wanted to avenge people who allegedly had a plan to assassinate his father.
Him stealing the elections is one thing, millions suffering and dying is another. It's the consequence of systems that are no longer balanced and in check such as any good democracy would have. I strongly believe that the US government knows way more than it releases and not only on the front of war support or 9/11 but on many other things. They believe they need to protect the public from themselves. Weird concept in my book. I don't believe in conspiracy theory, yet they're MANY things that can be considered conspiracies. Conspiracies to drive the masses into belief, one way or another. To drive women to give up their sons and daughters willingly in support of a war that is being waged at a much higher level.
Supporting the government can be achieved in many many ways. Opposing some actions is not necessarily not supportive. To the contrary, that's the best form of support in my humble opinion.
This country is great. It has the potential to be much greater, and to play a more functional role in world peace.

Check my blogroll for many good links. You can also go to http://Qwaider.com for a little excerpt with each post and follow them accordingly. I'm glad I was of service to you to help you better understand things on the other side of the table. Hopefully I did a good job.
Always Remember the following facts:
Arabs and Muslims don't hate Americans
Islamic Teachings as well as Arabic traditions do not promote violence or terrorism
People all over the world see the same thing, just comprehensive peace! May we all enjoy it
Arabs and Muslims had the concepts of equality for thousands of years. And although sometimes certain things are blown out of proportion by some. That is not the real teachings and rules of the culture