By Martin Asser BBC News Online, Kerak

Jordan's tribes find it hard to make their voices heard by their government

Nowhere is this truer than among the indigenous inhabitants of Jordan - the tribal East Bank Jordanians, as opposed to the majority Palestinian population who have arrived since 1948.

Tribal areas like Kerak, Tufeila and Salt are considered to be the bedrock of loyalty to Jordan's Hashemite royal family.

"Jordan is famous for its tribes," bus driver Hisham al-Omari tells me as he drinks tea at the resthouse in Kerak - a city dramatically located above the Dead Sea and home to one of the most spectacular medieval castles in the Middle East.

With fellow tribesmen in Iraq suffering under a US-led military campaign, the lack of clear opposition from the government upsets many

"The tribes support their brothers in Iraq, heart and soul; they believe in Arab dignity, Arab solidarity, Arab honour and Arab independence - and His Majesty King Abdullah is with us in our beliefs," Mr al-Omari says.

But something about his words does not quite ring true; and it is not just because - from his name - it is clear he is not a tribesman, but a Jordanian of Palestinian origin.

Tribal malaise

In fact, there is a profound malaise in tribal society, with powerful families with tens of thousand members unable to make their voices heard by a government that is staunchly pro-American.

"King Abdullah does not listen to the tribes like his father did," said a resident of Kerak from a large Christian family.

Demonstrators protest against what they say is Jordan's inability to act independently

"He wants to modernise society, treating all the different communities of Jordan as the same, not showing favouritism to the tribes."

But with fellow tribesmen in Iraq suffering under a US-led military campaign, the lack of clear opposition from the government upsets many.

"The Jordanian Government is not doing enough to help and support the Iraqi people - our foreign policy is completely dominated by the US," says Nimr, a young man from Salt attending a 2,000-strong anti-US rally through the city's narrow winding streets.

For the most part, tribal demonstrators in Salt and elsewhere are as keen to show their support for king and country as they are to shout "Down, down USA" and "Long live Saddam Hussein".

But as Nimr exemplifies, there are mutterings about Jordan's inability to act as an independent, Arab country.

"We're here to show the government that we know what's going on, and that we don't like it," said an older man in Salt who did not want to give his name or have his picture taken.

He was referring to the widespread belief - repeatedly denied by officials - that Jordan has allowed the US to use its airspace to attack Iraq and for US special forces to enter western Iraq over the Jordanian border.

Awaiting God's help

Few people believe the dozens of popular demonstrations will make any difference to Jordan's pro-US stance.

The exception is those in the southern city of Maan, which government officials politely tell journalists is "off limits" at the moment.

The city - an Islamist stronghold - has a history of civil unrest and has been wracked by violent anti-war protests in recent weeks.

In Kerak, things have not quite reached that stage, yet.

"What's the point of stoning government buildings and burning cars?" a small shopkeeper in Kerak from the al-Muaita tribe asked me.

He said he felt the same way as any other Muslim feels about "the Anglo-American aggression against Iraq".

"I think it is unjust to bomb another country without provocation and I think it's unjust to bring down the regime of Saddam Hussein, but already I can't afford to fill the 11 stomachs in my family - what would happen if I got arrested?" he said.

"We're waiting for God's help," says his friend - a fellow clansman who has walked in to the empty shop to pass the time of day.

"We may care about what's going on in Iraq, but you can't express yourself. You have to shut your mouth or they crush you like this," he says, grinding the sole of his shoe on the dusty floor.