Overview

How much do you really know about Saudi Arabia’s complex relationship with the United States? Do you fully understand why Russia invaded Ukraine? Right from the Start is a collection of essays that will help you get to the bottom of these and many other complex issues in international politics today. This book will help organize your thoughts and help formulate your own conclusions. Right from the Start is written by David H. Rundell and Michael Gfoeller, two distinguished former diplomats with over fifty years of political analysis experience in Washington, the Middle East, and the former Soviet Union. Rooted in realism, it challenges conventional narratives and calls for a foreign policy prioritizing American interests in our world today. The authors point out that a small nation like Ukraine is unlikely to defeat a large nation like Russia without foreign intervention on a scale that risks provoking a major war. They discuss the dramatic social and economic changes taking place in Saudi Arabia and explain why the Kingdom’s stability remains important to the United States. Turning to domestic issues, they provide insightful commentary on State Department reform, school shootings, nationwide court injunctions, and a host of other topics. Their easily digestible essays are short, clear, and witty. They are full of insights and opinions often overlooked by the discredited legacy media. Many of their predictions have already proven accurate and are well worth exploring by anyone seeking a deeper understanding of current events.

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9781680535884

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David H. Rundell is widely regarded as one of America’s leading Middle East experts. After studying economics at Colgate and Arabic at Oxford, he embarked on a thirty-year diplomatic career. He is particularly noted for his expertise on Saudi Arabia, where he served as Chief of Mission, Deputy Chief of Mission, Political Counselor, Economic Counselor, and Commercial Counselor. He was stationed in Saudi Arabia during both Operation Desert Storm and the 2003 Al-Qaeda insurrection. He played important roles in negotiating Saudi entry into the World Trade Organization and is the author of the highly regarded book Vision of Mirage, Saudi Arabia at the Crossroads. Ambassador Michael Gfoeller (ret.) is a distinguished U.S. diplomat with a 26-year career in the State Department, serving in key posts across Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Iraq, Russia, Armenia, Moldova, Poland, and Belgium, retiring in 2010. He advised General David Petraeus at U.S. Central Command, providing strategic insights on Middle Eastern affairs. After retirement, Gfoeller led ExxonMobil’s Middle East and North Africa government affairs, leveraging his deep regional expertise. A committed philanthropist, he founded the Gfoeller Renaissance Foundation, dedicated to advancing archeological research and cultural preservation in Armenia. His extensive diplomatic experience and leadership in energy and cultural initiatives reflect a legacy of effective global engagement.

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