David Rundell studied Arabic at Oxford and served as an American diplomat for thirty years in Washington, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates. Widely regarded as one America's leading experts on Saudi Arabia, he spent fifteen years in the country where he worked at the Embassy in Riyadh as well as the Consulates in Jeddah and Dhahran. His assignments in Saudi Arabia included the Chief of Mission, Charge d'Affaires, Deputy Chief of Mission, Political Counselor, Economic Counselor, Commercial Counselor, and Commercial Attaché. He has numerous awards for his analytical reporting and participated in Operation Desert Storm, Saudi accession to the World Trade Organization and the defeat of Al Qaida's terror campaign. After retiring from the Foreign Service he spent three years at the Boston-based consultancy Monitor Group before joining Arabia Analytica as a partner. He lives in Dubai and travels regularly to Saudi Arabia.
"I wish that every member of Congress would read it before voting on any measure related to Saudi Arabia. I wish every American pondering the frictions of our long relationship with the Saudis would read it simply to understand."
The New York Times
'Clear-eyed and illuminating.'
Henry Kissinger, former Secretary of State and National Security Advisor
'A rich, superbly researched, balanced history of the modern Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.'
General David Petraeus, former Commander U.S. Central Command and Director of the Central Intelligence Agency
Rundell's perspective on Saudi Arabia is unlike any American journalist's. This highly anticipated work is the result of his 15 years in Saudi Arabia, where he worked at the Embassy in Riyadh as well as the Consulates in Jeddah and Dhahran. Written as a handbook for his colleagues, Rundell's goal was to provide western readers with a better understanding of the enigmatic Kingdom and its Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, while highlighting the nation's simultaneously hopeful yet concerning future.
The Crossroads
Saudi Arabia has made notable social and economic reforms in recent history. However, the Kingdom is now more unstable than ever before, and many fear the continued consolidation of power.
In this clip [World Affairs], Rundell broaches these topics and provides some answers based on his thorough knowledge of and experience in Saudi Arabia.
Recent Reviews
The Mysteries of the American-Saudi Alliance [The New York Times]
Vision of Mohammed bin Salman - the reality and the fantasy [The Financial Times]
Praise
‘'Destined to be the best single volume on the Kingdom.'
Ambassador Chas Freeman, former U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia and Assistant Secretary of Defense
'Should be prescribed reading for a new generation of political leaders.'
Sir Richard Dearlove, former Chief of H.M. Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) and Master of Pembroke College, Cambridge.