America and the Yemens: A Tragic Encounter is a masterful account by one of America's foremost intelligence and national security analysts of a country cursed in its geography and history. Bruce Riedel weaves this narrative from his vast experience in the White House, CIA and Pentagon under four Presidents as they tried to navigate the perilous territory of the Middle East and the Persian Gulf - both during the rise of al-Qaeda, and after indigenous rivalries were further radicalized by the American invasion of Iraq. Riedel is an omnipresent narrator with unique first-person knowledge of the roots of Yemen's tragic civil war. This book is must reading for anyone fascinated by the causes of a tragedy and American relations that are now catastrophic.

Andrea Mitchell, NBC News

Bruce Riedel draws on his firsthand experience to give an insightful look at the U.S.'s complicated relationship with Yemen. It is a necessary read to balance the many conflicting narratives on the tragedy that this ancient country has become. Once again, Bruce's writing style makes history easy to read and shows its centrality to our present.

Yasmine Farouk, Nonresident Scholar, Middle East Program, Carnegie Endowment

Combining his deep historical knowledge with the fascinating anecdotes of an insider, Bruce Riedel demonstrates how contemporary U.S. involvement in Yemen echoes decades of U.S. Yemen policy. The pattern of U.S. support for Saudi interests in Yemen goes back to the Kennedy administration, while the pernicious effects of foreign meddling in Yemeni affairs bears striking similarity to the dynamics of the current civil war. A must-read for those hoping to understand the roots of contemporary pathologies in the U.S.-Yemen relationship, as well as a means of overcoming them.

Annelle Sheline, Fellow, Quincy Institute

In his short and thoughtful book, Bruce Riedel deftly introduces the reader to the many actors and events that have shaped modern Yemen. A practitioner-scholar in the best sense, Riedel brings to his task the experience of a seasoned policymaker who has seen it all, and a scholar with an informed perspective….As another conflict looms in the Gulf, America and the Yemens should prove a valuable resource for both general readers and policymakers alike.

Survival: Global Politics and Strategy