University of Oregon Middle East specialist Shaul Cohen is cautiously optimistic, however, that Hussein’s successor, King Abdullah, will be able to maintain control, at least in the short term. "King Hussein was able to forge a nation from an enormously artificial situation," Cohen says. "There are a lot of pressures that could result in some unraveling of the state." Cohen, a UO professor of geography, says Abdullah could be faced with a number of destabilizing scenarios, from conflict within the dynasty, to attack from outside forces. But Cohen says Abdullah is well positioned to maintain control. "He has a good position with the Jordanian military and the fact that his wife is Palestinian may give him some credibility with Palestinians in Jordan," Cohen notes. "But it’s too soon to tell what to expect." SOURCE: Shaul Cohen, UO assistant professor of geography, (541) 346-4500; e-mail scohen@oregon.uoregon.edu.

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