positivesum

Note: Thought this pearl of history might be refreshing to post here considering the current situation. It doesn't really feel like the things described below are still possible in our current world. Something fundamental has shifted in how nations conduct business with one another. But if you'd like a bit of nostalgia and some old school - enjoy this absolute classic tale of two leaders who understood that sometimes a simple nod and a handshake is as complicated as things need to be. Apart from being one of the most volatile regions in the world, one thing has always been true about the middle east: stories involving Jordanian Kings are usually the coolest. Buckle up because we’re going to explore a remarkable tale of trust, fully based on the first hand accounts of King Hussein (who ruled Jordan from 1952 all the way to 1999). Just look at those modern monarch aviators. It’s the eve of the Gulf Crisis of the 1990’s. Iraq has just invaded Kuwait and everyone knows something is about to go down. The Americans are riled up to the max, every Arab nation in the region is frantically trying to calculate its next move, the Israelis are at the edge of their seats ready to ruthlessly defend their own interests, and in the middle of it all, bordering both Iraq and Israel (all while getting pressured by the Americans) - is the Kingdom of Jordan. The Jordanian’s strategy is clear: We don’t know what’s going to happen. We don’t want to fight, and probably can’t win a military conflict against any of these countries anyway. All we can do is send a strong signal that anyone who dares attack us will suffer heavy losses. Apart from being a remarkable manifestation of Game Theory’s Generous Tit for Tat strategy, you have to admire how pragmatic they are with their assessments. The order was given for mobilization, and soon enough almost 250,000 Jordanian troops were placed on full alert al