Bruce Riedel is a senior fellow and director of the Brookings Intelligence Project, part of the Brookings Center for 21st Century Security and Intelligence. In addition, Riedel serves as a senior fellow in the Center for Middle East Policy. He retired in 2006 after 30 years of service at the Central Intelligence Agency, including postings overseas. He was a senior advisor on South Asia and the Middle East to the last four presidents of the United States in the staff of the National Security Council at the White House. He was also deputy assistant secretary of defense for the Near East and South Asia at the Pentagon and a senior advisor at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in Brussels.
“Few if any Americans have the depth of experience of Bruce Riedel
in dealing with the volatile neighborhood inhabited by Saudi
Arabia. In this excellent new book, Riedel tells the history of
US-Saudi ties through the interactions of Saudi kings and American
presidents. He leavens the narrative with charming anecdotes, from
the movie Ibn Saud saw en route to his meeting with Franklin
Roosevelt, to the 'Dr. No'-style aquarium in the palace of King
Abdullah. A must-read for both scholars and the general public, the
book raises all the necessary questions about the future of the
Kingdom and its complicated alliance with the United
States.”—Barbara Slavin , Director of the Future of Iran Initiative
at the Atlantic Council and author, Bitter Friends, Bosom Enemies:
Iran, the US and the Twisted Path to Confrontation
“As the Middle East edges towards another era of convulsion with
President Trump's decision about Jerusalem, a new book helps put
the turmoil in perspective. Kings and Presidents: Saudi Arabia and
the United States Since FDR is a timely analysis of the
relationship's history, a careful and respectful dance between a
democratic superpower and an autocratic monarchy, in managing
common interests including the oil trade and security since
1945.”—Susan Froetschel, YaleGlobal Online
“Riedel, a former National Security Council staffer and CIA
analyst, relies on unclassified sources to present a lucid account
of an often troubled relationship.”—John Waterbury, Foreign
Affairs
“This riveting book is essential reading for anyone interested in
U.S. policy in the Middle East or Saudi Arabia. Riedel offers a
thorough, thoughtful and candid account of the diplomatic highs and
lows between two strange bedfellows. A great contribution to the
literature by someone who witnessed it play out from inside the
policy establishment and who has known the key players.”—Robin
Wright, author of Rock the Casbah: Rage and Rebellion across the
Islamic World
“Bruce Riedel has written a thorough, insightful and provocative
account of the U.S.-Saudi relationship as seen through the eyes of
Kings and Presidents. He proves that understanding history is
essential to guiding this very important relationship forward
during a time of growing regional uncertainty.”—George Tenet,
former Director Central Intelligence Agency
“Political histories are often a snooze, but Riedel is a lively,
opinionated writer whose sympathy with his subjects' viewpoints
will enlighten most readers.”—Kirkus Reviews
“Kings and Presidents offers a quick and insightful tour through
decades of ups and downs, from the oil embargo in the 1970s to
Iran-Contra in the 1980s to the scars of the Arab Spring. Better
yet, Riedel, a former CIA officer who advised several presidents,
calls on years of U.S. government experience to pepper his story
with plenty of firsthand recollections and anecdotes.”—Foreign
Policy
“Navigating the myriad complexities and cross currents of
U.S.-Saudi relations since the end of World War II is a daunting
process even for experienced foreign policy analysts. That journey
is made easier by Bruce Riedel's masterful new book, Kings and
Presidents: Saudi Arabia and the United States since FDR. . . .
While Riedel's recounting of the historical importance of kings and
presidents is admirable, perhaps the book's greatest value is a
brief but persuasive assessment of the issues shaping Saudi Arabia
now and in the future.”—Jack Caravelli, The Washington Free Beacon
Ask a Question About this Product More... |