Blood and Oil by Bradley Hope & Justin Scheck
7.5 out of 10The House of Saud is very large and wildly rich. In 2015, Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) ascended to Minister of Defense (and continued to hold other positions within the Saudi government). He consolidated his power over the military where he engaged in combative and diplomatic feuds against Iran, Iranian proxies, and Qatar. He worked with the White House and American consulting companies (mainly McKinsey & Co.) to strengthen and diversify the economy. After his cousin was ousted as crown prince and the elected prime minister stepped down, MBS stepped into both of those positions. The king remained sovereign, but MBS effectively became the de facto head of state. Many of his extended family members have been imprisoned in luxury hotels. Corrupt officials have been fired, jailed, or killed. Many attractions and events have been set up in Riyadh to bring global business to the area. MBS's career is still young, but he has demonstrated his decisive determination to run an effective regime and bring prosperity to his kingdom.