The picture blew across the Internet like a hot wind in the desert. It showed King Abdullah II of Jordan wearing combat fatigues, staring deeply into the camera, his chest cinched with parachute straps, his hands clad in black gloves, barely resisting the impulse to clench into fists.
In the viral aftermath of the posting on the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan’s official Facebook page, the rumor spread that the king was personally flying combat missions against the so-called Islamic State (IS). The palace denied it, but social media users refused to believe the fabrication and continued repeating the claim: After the horrific killing of the Jordanian pilot Moaz al-Kassasbeh, Abdullah has taken on the mantle of the unlikely superhero of the war against IS.
It is a most unexpected turn for Jordan and for its king, who also bears the title of supreme commander of the Jordanian Armed Forces.