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.
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