Hussein bin Talal
 Hussein bin Talal    (royalty) | |
|---|---|
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| Born | الحسين بن طلال 14 November 1935 Amman, Transjordan |
| Died | 7 February 1999 (Age 63) Amman, Jordan |
| Nationality | Jordanian |
| Religion | Sunni Islam |
| Spouse | Dina bint 'Abdu'l-Hamid |
| Member of | House of Hashim, Le Cercle |
| Interest of | Zaid al-Rifai |
Hussein bin Talal was King of Jordan from 11 August 1952 until his death in 1999.
CIA payroll
In 1977, Bob Woodward wrote - at a time when the story was an open secret - that the Central Intelligence Agency for 20 years has made secret annual payments totaling millions of dollars to King Hussein of Jordan. "One of the most closely held and sensitive of all CIA covert activities", the payments to Hussein were made under the codeword project name of "No Beef." They were usually delivered in cash to the king by the CIA station chief in Amman.
As justification for the direct cash payments to Hussein, the CIA claimed that Hussein was allowing U.S. intelligence agencies to operate freely in his strategically placed Middle Eastern country. Hussein himself provided intelligence to the CIA and forwarded money from the payments to other government officials who provided intelligence or cooperated with the CIA.[1]
The payments were first made to Hussein in 1957 during the Eisenhower administration. The initial payments ran in the millions of dollars but they were reduced to $750,000 by 1977. Hussein was only 21 when he first became a beneficiary of CIA funds. It was a time when Jordan was virtually a ward of the United States and Hussein had little money to support his lifestyle, which earned him the reputation as a "playboy prince."[1]
Hussein had a well-publicized taste for sports cars and airplanes. The CIA also provided Hussein with female companions, and provided bodyguards for Hussein's children when they were abroad in school.[1]
Hussein's decisions have often been highly compatible with U.S. and Israeli interests. For example, he expelled the Palestine Liberation Organization from Jordan in 1970, though this also helped Hussein's own domestic situation. In 1973, Hussein refused to join in the Arab war against Israel.[1]
