About the Author

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.

Reviews

“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