AP Photo

The Jordanian regime has withstood many challenges to its rule since Jordan gained independence in 1946 -- during the Arab-Israeli wars of 1948 and 1967, the Nasserists' attempted coup in 1957, the events of Black September in 1970, and Al Qaeda's attacks in recent years, the Hashemite monarchy has proved resilient. The deep ethnic, tribal and ideological divisions in Jordanian society create wedges that the regime has managed effectively in the past and will perhaps continue to do so. The Syrian crisis threatens Jordan's security, with the potential to distract Jordanians from widespread corruption, human rights violations and economic ills, thereby making stability the top priority. Thus, while it is still too early to determine that the winds of change blowing through the Middle...