"Though small, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan plays a crucial role in the affairs of the volatile Middle East. A moderate Arab country, Jordan borders not only Israel and the West Bank, but also Syria, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia. This strategic location--along with the nuanced and forward-looking foreign policy of Jordan's young ruler, King Abdullah II--has made Jordan an island of calm in the often-turbulent Middle East. Political stability and Jordan's highly educated workforce have made it one of the most prosperous Arab states. In recent years Jordan's proximity to Syria and Iraq, two countries devastated by civil war, has increased regional tension. The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), an Islamist rebel group fighting in those countries, has attempted to attract young Jordanians to its cause. Jordan has responded to retaliation by joining the United States and other nations in launching airstrikes against ISIL strongholds"--Provided by the publisher.