DESERT DIPLOMAT
Inside Saudi Arabia Following 9/11
By Robert W. Jordan with Steve Fiffer
"Jordan writes with unflinching acuity, providing keen insight into the Arab world as well as the inner workings of American diplomacy during his time as ambassador.... Simply put, Desert Diplomat is an intriguing tale of an interesting man serving his country during an important time in history."
—James A. Baker III, Sixty-First U.S. Secretary of State
Praise for Desert Diplomat
Jordan writes with unflinching acuity, providing keen insight into the Arab world as well as the inner workings of American diplomacy during his time as ambassador. He tells about the first meeting between President Bush and Saudi crown prince Abdullah during the Crawford Summit … terrorist bombings at three compounds in Riyadh … [and] his personal role in helping save the live of Michael Baba Yemba, a Christian pastor from South Sudan who was being persecuted for his faith before Jordan assisted his immigration to Dallas, Texas. Simply put, Desert Diplomat is an intriguing tale of an interesting man serving his country during an important time in history.
--Foreword by James A. Baker III, Sixty-first U.S. secretary of state
“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 the Saudis 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 to secretary of state, 2001-03, and former ambassador to Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan
“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 this involved in developing your 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 of the Middle East and author of The Battle for Peace: A Frontline Vision of America's Power and Purpose
In the News
Robert W. Jordan on CBS News
November 2, 2022
Robert W. Jordan in Politico
August 16, 2022
Robert W. Jordan in Idaho Mountain Express
August 12, 2022
Robert W. Jordan in Politico
July 15, 2022
Robert W. Jordan in Washington Post
July 11, 2022
September 24, 2021
Robert W. Jordan on National Energy Talk
Robert W. Jordan on Anderson Cooper 360
October 19, 2018
October 11, 2018
Robert W. Jordan on PBS News Hour
August 4, 2015
Robert W. Jordan on Charlie Rose
Robert W. Jordan on Fareed Zakaria
Former U.S. Amb to Saudi Arabia, Robert Jordan, speaks with Fareed Zakaria about Saudi Arabia's new king and more
Former U.S. Ambassador discussed his thoughts on Saudi Arabia’s recent military actions, his description of the new Saudi Arabia king, Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and how he ended up as the U.S. Amb to Saudi Arabia.
August 2, 2015
July 1, 2015
Robert W. Jordan on Morning Joe
Former Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Robert W. Jordan joins the MSNBC Morning Joe panel and discusses with Mike Barnicle the threats that an improved Iranian economy, thanks to a possible accord with the U.S., could pose for the Saudis. Listen to Ambassador Jordan’s insights into the Middle East here.
Inside Saudi Arabia
Robert Jordan, a former ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Diplomat in Residence and adjunct professor of political science in the John G. Tower Center for Political Studies at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, and author of Desert Diplomat: Inside Saudi Arabia Following 9/11 (Potomac Books, Inc, 2015), shares what he learned about Saudi Arabia and why he calls it a misunderstood ally.
The Brian Lehrer Show
July 2, 2015
From Lawyer to Desert Diplomat
Robert Jordan was a Dallas attorney with no diplomatic experience when in the spring of 2001, President George W. Bush picked him to become the nation’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia. This hour, we’ll talk to him about the role he played in building relationships in the Middle East, which he writes about in Desert Diplomat: Inside Saudi Arabia Following 9/11 (Potomac Books). Robert Jordan will speak to the DFW World Affairs Council on July 7th at a luncheon in McKinney and a reception at the Hotel Crescent Court in Dallas. Both events are open to the public.
Think with Krys Boyd - July 1, 2015
Why the Saudi King Snubbed President Obama
