An attempt at democratic reform didn’t turn out as the monarchy had hoped; in Jordan’s first general elections in 22 years, held in November 1989, Islamists won almost half the seats in parliament. Regardless, the reforms continued, with King Hussein approving a law permitting political parties (banned in 1957), with restrictions, of course, in September 1992. Jordan’s first multi-party election since 1954 is scheduled for November 1993. On the international level, after a rising tide of pan-Arabism and frustration with Western power led many Jordanians to support Saddam Hussein in the Gulf War (1991), and thus pushed the king to do so too, the weakening of Iraq since the war has allowed the ever-flexible monarchy to reingra-tiate with the West. Meanwhile, the king’s surgery in August 1992 for cancer of the urinary tract, though successful, has raised the issue of succession.

A flood of refugees into Jordan from Kuwait and Iraq following the Gulf War has begun to disrupt the usually placid Jordanian lifestyle. Jordan’s cities are now overcrowded, and crime rates are on the rise. Travelers are advised not to wander through the country alone and should consult their embassy or a reputable international newspaper for up-to-the-minute information on the political situation.