The Prince of Counterterrorism: Washington's favorite Saudi, Muhammad bin Nayef, is the scourge of al-Qaida and Iran but no friend of those who want to see major reforms in the kingdom

Bruce Riedel

Sep 2015 · Brookings Institution Press

About this ebook

In The Prince of Counterterrorism, Brookings Senior Fellow Bruce Riedel tells the story of Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Crown Prince Muhammad bin Nayef (MBN) and his contributions to the security of the kingdom and the Arab world. In the spring of 2015, King Salman removed his brother from the line of succession, and chose instead  his nephew, MBN, as his heir. Riedel explains why this decision is critical for the U.S. as MBN has been America’s closest Saudi ally in the fight against terrorism, even helping to thwart attacks from al-Qaida on the U.S. However, while MBN’s leadership is critical in countering the growth of groups like al-Qaida and ISIS, Riedel shows why he is unlikely to support social reforms within the kingdom. THE BROOKINGS ESSAY: In the spirit of its commitment to high-quality, independent research, the Brookings Institution has commissioned works on major topics of public policy by distinguished authors, including Brookings scholars. The Brookings Essay is a multi-platform product aimed to engage readers in open dialogue and debate. The views expressed, however, are solely those of the author. Available in ebook only.

About the author

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.