Energy deficit in Jordan creating problems for kingdom

Jordan has escaped much of the region's turmoil, but a dearth of energy supplies is causing political problems

 Nestled between oil-power house Iraq and the emerging gas-rich eastern Mediterranean countries, Jordan has plenty of reasons to rue its lack of conventional petroleum resources. Significant shale reserves in the kingdom may change that picture over time. But, for now, Amman imports 97% of its energy. The IMF has identified energy subsidy reform as crucial to fixing the country's energy deficit and made the award of a $2 billion loan in 2012 contingent on Jordan making progress on removing subsidies. But for the kingdom's rulers, the political price of subsidy reform makes that a tough nut to crack. In a country where resources and infrastructure are increasingly pressured by the flood of re