AMMAN, Jordan — The northern city of Irbid grabbed Jordanians' attention March 1, when security forces launched a massive operation that left seven militants linked to the Islamic State (IS) dead along with one of their own. Two days later, King Abdullah II emphasized the “first and foremost” priority of safeguarding the security of the Hashemite state.

While acknowledging the government's legitimate fight against terrorism, a number of former senior Jordanian officials — Royal Court chief, prime minister, head of intelligence and the foreign minister during the reigns of King Hussein and King Abdullah — have expressed concerns about what they see as the leadership’s overemphasis on an armed defense and the country’s current path. They cite the troubling situation of a struggling economy with a bloated public sector, political leaders unwilling to undertake crucial reforms and an intelligence agency that intimidates members of parliament and generally interferes in political decision-making.

The Hashemite kingdom’s economy is the most worrying issue for the old guard. The government employs 42% of the country’s workforce, which led Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour at one point to describe the government as “bloated” and “unhealthy.” The rate of public sector employment is nearly triple the international average of 15%.

Such a high number of Jordanians working for the government leaves little room for economic growth and innovation. Marwan Muasher, former deputy prime minister and foreign minister, cited this state of affairs, telling Al-Monitor, “Economically, the status quo is not sustainable. We are a semi-rentier state that has exhausted its potential in terms of the government no longer being able to keep on employing people.”