Robert W. Jordan is Diplomat in Residence and adjunct professor of political science in the John G. Tower Center for Political Studies at Southern Methodist University. He served as the U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia from 2001 to 2003 and as a partner in the international law firm Baker Botts L.L.P. for many years where he headed Middle East practice in Dubai. Steve Fiffer has written for the New York Times and is the author or coauthor of numerous books, including Three Quarters, Two Dimes, and a Nickel: A Memoir of Becoming Whole. James A. Baker III served as the sixty-first U.S. secretary of state.
“In this readable chronicle, [Jordan] demonstrates good instincts
and a fair measure of modesty. . . . Jordan details the strains in
the U.S.-Saudi relationship but suggests the countries are doomed
to a strategic partnership.”—Foreign Affairs
“[A] lucid and candid memoir.”—The Times of Israel
“Robert Jordan has written a fascinating and insightful book that
provides a rare inside view of Saudi Arabia and the Middle East
during the events following 9/11. It is a historically significant
work from a seasoned diplomat who draws valuable lessons from his
experiences and observations that would be wise for our current and
future leaders to heed. Desert Diplomat should be
required reading for all those involved in developing our strategy
and policy for the Middle East.”—General Anthony C. Zinni (USMC,
Ret.), former commander in chief of U.S. Central Command, former
special envoy to the Middle East, and author of The Battle for
Peace: A Frontline Vision of America’s Power and Purpose
“No Arab ally of the United States is more important or less
understood than Saudi Arabia. Robert Jordan went to Riyadh as our
ambassador just after the 9/11 attacks when America was asking
which side they were on. His unique personal relationships and
superb analyses made it clear that the Saudis stood with us, but we
also had to understand them. . . . Desert Diplomat tells
the story of a critical relationship at a critical time, and how a
great diplomat, Robert Jordan, can turn the hinge of history. We
are at another turn—may we be as wise as he was in making it.”—Ryan
C. Crocker, former deputy assistant secretary of state, 2001–3, and
former ambassador to Afghanistan, Iraq, and
Pakistan
"Desert Diplomat gives a deep insight into the Saudi-US relations
post 9/11. It is a must read for both students and experts of
US-Middle East relations. It will also help understand the emerging
dynamics in the Middle East after the Iran-US nuclear
deal."—Washington Book Review
"An up-close and personal glimpse into a tangled situation,
sometimes horrendously dysfunctional politics, and the economic and
social changes transforming Saudi Arabia at the time, Desert
Diplomat is as fascinating as it is illuminating, and highly
recommended."—Midwest Book Review
"Jordan invites readers to a front row seat to history through his
eyes and in his shoes."—PRWeb
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