Our Last Best Chance - 9780670021710

It is almost unprecedented for a king to write a memoir that tackles head-on the most explosive issues he faces. King Abdullah II has decided to do so now out of a sense of urgency, a conviction that the window for peace between Israel and the Palestinians is closing. For twelve years he has ruled Jordan, a country at the center of strategic discussions about the Arab-Israeli conflict, Iraq, Iran, and terrorism, playing a defining role behind the scenes. But nothing in his upbringing gave him reason to believe that this would be his fate.

The eldest son of King Hussein, he went to boarding school in the United States and then to Sandhurst, Britain's legendary military academy. As he made his way up the ranks of the Jordanian army, he hunted down terrorists and drug smugglers and eventually became the head of Special Forces. In this disarmingly honest and personal memoir, he tells us how he did this while building a family with his accomplished wife, Rania. Then, suddenly, after a dramatic summer of palace intrigue and the tragic death of his father, he found himself king.

King Abdullah has seen four wars since coming to power, and he believes we face a moment of truth. For too long the Palestinians have waited for the promise of the Oslo Accords to translate into statehood. Their patience is running out. Intimate, unguarded, full of incredible stories and behind-the-scenes insights into the Iraq War and negotiations with Iran, Our Last Best Chance is a passionate plea for making the tough decisions necessary to secure a lasting peace before it's too late.