The King and I
By Peter Greenberg '72
King Abdullah II of Jordan invited travel reporter Peter Greenberg '72 to be his guest as they rode camels, raced Harleys, and climbed mountains — all for a Travel Channel special highlighting the wonders of this extraordinary country.
A number of years ago, I was in Amman, Jordan, on assignment for the Travel Channel. In order to film at a number of locations, I needed help. To help us shoot aerials of the expansive legendary Wadi Rum Desert, my crew and I desperately wanted a helicopter.
A Jordanian friend told me it would be very hard to secure permission, let alone a chopper, but he would try to arrange a meeting with a person who could help: Prince Abdullah, the son of then King Hussein.
King Abdullah II of Jordan invited travel reporter Peter Greenberg '72 to be his guest as they rode camels, raced Harleys, and climbed mountains — all for a Travel Channel special highlighting the wonders of this extraordinary country.
A number of years ago, I was in Amman, Jordan, on assignment for the Travel Channel. In order to film at a number of locations, I needed help. To help us shoot aerials of the expansive legendary Wadi Rum Desert, my crew and I desperately wanted a helicopter.
A Jordanian friend told me it would be very hard to secure permission, let alone a chopper, but he would try to arrange a meeting with a person who could help: Prince Abdullah, the son of then King Hussein.
The meeting was set, and I headed out to an army base where I could find Abdullah, who as commander of the Jordanian Special Forces controlled the helicopters, among other things.
It was a successful meeting — I got my helicopter, and we got our shots. But most important, the prince and I became friends. We discovered much common ground, ranging from favorite movies (Austin Powers) to more substantive issues concerning peace in the region and the delicate balance of power in the Middle East.
On subsequent visits, I met the rest of his family, shared meals with them, and was able to get out and explore parts of the country not found in most guide books. And we talked often of my first visit to the area, one that was linked to the University of Wisconsin.
I was just twenty when I saw Jordan for the first time. In 1970, I was a junior at the UW, at a time when the Daily Cardinal happened to be prosperous enough to send its reporters overseas. The paper flew me to Israel to do a five-part series on life in the Middle East. Only three years earlier, Israel had captured Gaza and the West Bank in the Six-Day War. Three years later, fighting would erupt again, in the Yom Kippur War. Even during my visit, Israel was in a technical state of war with every one of its neighbors. Borders were sealed. But one night, I stood on the beach in Eilat, on the Red Sea, just a few hundred yards from Jordan. The view was intoxicating.
It was a successful meeting — I got my helicopter, and we got our shots. But most important, the prince and I became friends. We discovered much common ground, ranging from favorite movies (Austin Powers) to more substantive issues concerning peace in the region and the delicate balance of power in the Middle East.
On subsequent visits, I met the rest of his family, shared meals with them, and was able to get out and explore parts of the country not found in most guide books. And we talked often of my first visit to the area, one that was linked to the University of Wisconsin.
I was just twenty when I saw Jordan for the first time. In 1970, I was a junior at the UW, at a time when the Daily Cardinal happened to be prosperous enough to send its reporters overseas. The paper flew me to Israel to do a five-part series on life in the Middle East. Only three years earlier, Israel had captured Gaza and the West Bank in the Six-Day War. Three years later, fighting would erupt again, in the Yom Kippur War. Even during my visit, Israel was in a technical state of war with every one of its neighbors. Borders were sealed. But one night, I stood on the beach in Eilat, on the Red Sea, just a few hundred yards from Jordan. The view was intoxicating.
There, almost close enough to touch, was Aqaba. I remember watching the lights of the Jordanian seaport glistening against the calm sea, and I wondered if there would ever be peace — if I would ever get there.
During the following years, I traveled to Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, and Jordan. And of all these countries, the one that continually draws me back is Jordan. It exists at the threshold of a dream and at the crossroads of history and the Bible.
And yet, most of my friends won't go to Jordan. They're afraid of the Middle East, and I understand their reluctance. After all, this tiny kingdom is situated in a pretty tough neighborhood — surrounded by Israel, the Palestinian territories, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia.
Still, Jordan is extremely traveler friendly. It has an ancient history and some of the world's most significant archaeological treasures — from the splendors of Petra to well-preserved Roman cities such as Jerash. It is a modern Islamic state with a considerable Christian population. And it has always welcomed visitors with a social and religious tolerance that sets it apart from much of the Middle East — perhaps because the country's leadership has always had strong ties with the West.
During the following years, I traveled to Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, and Jordan. And of all these countries, the one that continually draws me back is Jordan. It exists at the threshold of a dream and at the crossroads of history and the Bible.
And yet, most of my friends won't go to Jordan. They're afraid of the Middle East, and I understand their reluctance. After all, this tiny kingdom is situated in a pretty tough neighborhood — surrounded by Israel, the Palestinian territories, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia.
Still, Jordan is extremely traveler friendly. It has an ancient history and some of the world's most significant archaeological treasures — from the splendors of Petra to well-preserved Roman cities such as Jerash. It is a modern Islamic state with a considerable Christian population. And it has always welcomed visitors with a social and religious tolerance that sets it apart from much of the Middle East — perhaps because the country's leadership has always had strong ties with the West.
Over the next few years, starting in 1998, the prince and I met again in Jordan, and we talked about the fragile peace and the treaty that his father had negotiated with Israel in 1994. We spoke about extremism, politics, security, and cultural and religious intolerance. He talked about his family, his hopes, and trying to maintain a somewhat sensible lifestyle given his responsibilities.
Born in Amman in 1962, the eldest son of King Hussein and his British-born second wife, Toni Gardiner, Abdullah was raised in an environment of both privilege and hardship. Wanting him to learn the ways of the world, Hussein sent Abdullah off to boarding school in the U.S. for his junior high and high school years.
"I became very familiar with American thinking, American customs, and the way you deal with things," he told me, "to the point that I have two switches — I can put the Jordanian switch on, and then I can put on the American switch. To be able to at least switch your mind, to be able to understand another culture, I think is a tremendous opportunity that I'm very grateful for."
Born in Amman in 1962, the eldest son of King Hussein and his British-born second wife, Toni Gardiner, Abdullah was raised in an environment of both privilege and hardship. Wanting him to learn the ways of the world, Hussein sent Abdullah off to boarding school in the U.S. for his junior high and high school years.
"I became very familiar with American thinking, American customs, and the way you deal with things," he told me, "to the point that I have two switches — I can put the Jordanian switch on, and then I can put on the American switch. To be able to at least switch your mind, to be able to understand another culture, I think is a tremendous opportunity that I'm very grateful for."
After a stint at Sandhurst Military Academy in England, Abdullah trained to become a career soldier in the Jordanian army. When he returned home, he promptly began his military career, commanding both tank and attack helicopter units, and rising to the rank of major general and head of Jordanian Special Forces.
"When people see members of the royal family carrying the burdens that they carry, and the ultimate burden of risking your life in defense of your ideals and your nation," he explained to me, "it's a way of breaking down barriers and bringing the royal family closer to its people, because you're willing to take the same risks that they are."
He took risks in his personal life as well. Like his adventurous father, the young prince had a passion for speed and daring. He was a champion rally car driver, skydiver, and avid scuba diver. But it was a beauty named Rania who would really capture his imagination. A Jordanian woman of Palestinian origin, she married Abdullah in 1993 and would soon bear him a son.
"When people see members of the royal family carrying the burdens that they carry, and the ultimate burden of risking your life in defense of your ideals and your nation," he explained to me, "it's a way of breaking down barriers and bringing the royal family closer to its people, because you're willing to take the same risks that they are."
He took risks in his personal life as well. Like his adventurous father, the young prince had a passion for speed and daring. He was a champion rally car driver, skydiver, and avid scuba diver. But it was a beauty named Rania who would really capture his imagination. A Jordanian woman of Palestinian origin, she married Abdullah in 1993 and would soon bear him a son.
By the late 1990s, the young family was in for a shock. The world watched with sadness as King Hussein contracted lymphatic cancer, and though he traveled several times to the U.S. for treatment, the cancer proved incurable. In January 1999, knowing he didn't have long to live, Hussein returned to Jordan for the last time. Standing in the reception line on the tarmac was Hussein's brother, then Crown Prince Hassan, who had held the reins of power in the king's absence and was expected to inherit the throne. But in a surprising turn of events, Hussein announced that he was changing the line of succession, and the crown would instead pass to Abdullah.
"As my father was failing, we met often at the hospital in the U.S. and again in London," he explains. "He said he needed to talk to me, but there never seemed to be time for us to have that conversation."
"As my father was failing, we met often at the hospital in the U.S. and again in London," he explains. "He said he needed to talk to me, but there never seemed to be time for us to have that conversation."
And then, one day, King Hussein insisted they meet immediately, and alone. That's when his father told him of his plan. "It's a shock when somebody says, you know, 'I want you to have this responsibility.' I said, 'Well sir, this is something that I never wanted; it wasn't something that I ever aspired to.' And he said, 'That's probably one of the main reasons why it's got to be you.' "
Shortly after that conversation, Hussein died.
Abdullah's life was forever changed. "I had a wife and three children, and all of a sudden, I had a family of 4 million. And the tremendous responsibility of the burden was hard to swallow."
But this thoroughly modern monarch has risen to the task. He understands the challenges, and he confronts them every day with boundless energy and determination.
Shortly after that conversation, Hussein died.
Abdullah's life was forever changed. "I had a wife and three children, and all of a sudden, I had a family of 4 million. And the tremendous responsibility of the burden was hard to swallow."
But this thoroughly modern monarch has risen to the task. He understands the challenges, and he confronts them every day with boundless energy and determination.
Unlike Saudi Arabia and Iraq, Jordan has no oil. Its economy depends to a great extent on tourism, which has been virtually nonexistent since 1998 due to conflicts in the surrounding region. Perhaps that explains why last year, at my suggestion, the king became my special tour guide, and for five days we rode camels, raced Harleys, and climbed mountains together. We went scuba diving in the Red Sea, and His Majesty flew me all over the country in his Blackhawk helicopter — all for a one-hour Travel Channel special, "Jordan: The Royal Tour." It marked the first time in television history that a ruling monarch had ever hosted a show of this kind.
We visited Petra, a UN World Heritage Site. (These sites are found in 118 countries and include landmarks such as the Statue of Liberty and the Grand Canyon.) Though this city in Jordan's southern desert was lost for a thousand years, it's become a popular attraction, and parts of the movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade were filmed there. A truly magical place with buildings carved from sandstone cliffs, Petra's early morning and late afternoon light transforms the location into a mystical, seductive experience. While there, we camped with Bedouins in the desert and rode with the desert police on camels. (Caution: camels are mean, angry animals that spit — not my favorite experience. Let's just say I don't enjoy the process of riding camels. In this case, I enjoyed having ridden them.)
We visited Petra, a UN World Heritage Site. (These sites are found in 118 countries and include landmarks such as the Statue of Liberty and the Grand Canyon.) Though this city in Jordan's southern desert was lost for a thousand years, it's become a popular attraction, and parts of the movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade were filmed there. A truly magical place with buildings carved from sandstone cliffs, Petra's early morning and late afternoon light transforms the location into a mystical, seductive experience. While there, we camped with Bedouins in the desert and rode with the desert police on camels. (Caution: camels are mean, angry animals that spit — not my favorite experience. Let's just say I don't enjoy the process of riding camels. In this case, I enjoyed having ridden them.)
Surprisingly, Jordan is full of medieval castles (holdovers from the Crusades), and perhaps the biggest surprise was a whitewater adventure in Wadi Mujib — in a country few people think even has water. It was a location where Abdullah had trained with the special forces, and one of the more beautiful places I've ever seen. In the meantime, he explained to me the short distances between his neighbors. In Aqaba, his palace is only a few hundred yards from the Israeli border. And as we flew in his helicopter, we could see Israel, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia — each within just a few miles of our position. In the event of another Arab-Israeli war, Jordan would likely become a battlefield.
And so the current tension over Palestine keeps Abdullah busy. My visit marked the first time since he became king that he had taken any time off. It gave us the opportunity to speak of many things, ranging from Palestinian rights to the environment; from negotiating and keeping a lasting peace, to his favorite television shows and movies. At night, out in the Wadi Rum Desert, where Lawrence of Arabia roamed, we often joked with lines from Austin Powers. And then, just as quickly, the king would switch back to more important, compelling topics. We discussed the economic reforms and infrastructure needed to lay the groundwork for hope for the Palestinians, whether Yasser Arafat can control the very people he officially represents, and, of course, American fears of travel to the region.
And so the current tension over Palestine keeps Abdullah busy. My visit marked the first time since he became king that he had taken any time off. It gave us the opportunity to speak of many things, ranging from Palestinian rights to the environment; from negotiating and keeping a lasting peace, to his favorite television shows and movies. At night, out in the Wadi Rum Desert, where Lawrence of Arabia roamed, we often joked with lines from Austin Powers. And then, just as quickly, the king would switch back to more important, compelling topics. We discussed the economic reforms and infrastructure needed to lay the groundwork for hope for the Palestinians, whether Yasser Arafat can control the very people he officially represents, and, of course, American fears of travel to the region.
"The perception of the Middle East is that if something happens in one country, it means that there's a sudden [U.S.] State Department travel ban on people going anywhere in the Middle East. If there's a problem or riots as you had recently in Cincinnati, it doesn't mean I can't go and visit Boston. In fact, I think the best line that anybody ever had was my mother. 'If it wasn't safe,' she said, 'I wouldn't want my son to be living in Jordan.' "
"Jordan: The Royal Tour" was originally scheduled to premiere on September 24, 2001. On the morning of September 11, I was at the Today Show preparing to go on the air; and the king was in the air over Nova Scotia, heading to the United States to appear at a number of events prior to the premiere. Then the first hijacked airplane hit the World Trade Center. Most transAtlantic flights were diverted to Gander, Newfoundland, but Abdullah's plane was one of the very few allowed to turn around in midflight and return home.
And almost immediately, Abdullah was back in Jordan, working the phones, talking with President Bush and other leaders as the world prepared for war in Afghanistan. Queen Rania increased her public presence, making impassioned, intelligent pleas to denounce the events of September 11 as well as to work behind the scenes to keep peace in the region.
"Jordan: The Royal Tour" was originally scheduled to premiere on September 24, 2001. On the morning of September 11, I was at the Today Show preparing to go on the air; and the king was in the air over Nova Scotia, heading to the United States to appear at a number of events prior to the premiere. Then the first hijacked airplane hit the World Trade Center. Most transAtlantic flights were diverted to Gander, Newfoundland, but Abdullah's plane was one of the very few allowed to turn around in midflight and return home.
And almost immediately, Abdullah was back in Jordan, working the phones, talking with President Bush and other leaders as the world prepared for war in Afghanistan. Queen Rania increased her public presence, making impassioned, intelligent pleas to denounce the events of September 11 as well as to work behind the scenes to keep peace in the region.
As was the case with his father, Abdullah walks a fine, delicate line as a leading broker for peace in the region. Jordan is often the first stop that Secretary of State Colin Powell and other world leaders make in the region. It was Jordanian intelligence that uncovered the plot by Osama Bin Laden to blow up Los Angeles International Airport on New Year's Eve 1999. Jordan was one of the first countries to pledge support to America after September 11. And, as the Israelis and the PLO negotiate for peace, Abdullah — like his father before him — will likely be intimately involved in the process.
"My father worked all his life for peace, and he used to say he wanted it for his children and his children's children," Abdullah says. "Well, that's now our generation, and I'm in the same position. And I don't want to have to work all my life for the same goal. Our generation is perhaps the best generation to achieve that peace. And we cannot afford to wait for it. For all the obvious, and not-so-obvious reasons, we need that peace now."
"My father worked all his life for peace, and he used to say he wanted it for his children and his children's children," Abdullah says. "Well, that's now our generation, and I'm in the same position. And I don't want to have to work all my life for the same goal. Our generation is perhaps the best generation to achieve that peace. And we cannot afford to wait for it. For all the obvious, and not-so-obvious reasons, we need that peace now."
