F. Gregory Gause, III is Professor of Political Science at the University of Vermont. His previous publications include Oil Monarchies: Domestic and Security Challenges in the Arab Gulf States (1994) and Saudi-Yemeni Relations: Domestic Structures and Foreign Influence (1990).

'The most authoritative account to date of the tumultuous events that marked the transition from British to American predominance in the Persian Gulf. Gause's meticulous reconstruction of regional political interactions illuminates and informs, while gently puncturing a handful of myths that have sprouted during the past half century to explain the many twists and turns of revolution, war and struggles for power in one of the most turbulent regions in the world.' Gary Sick, Senior Research Scholar and Director of the Gulf/2000 research project on the Persian Gulf at Columbia University

• 1. The Persian Gulf as a security region; 2. The emergence of the Gulf regional system, 1971–8; 3. The Iranian revolution and the Iran-Iraq war; 4. The Gulf war and the 1990s; 5. 9/11, the Iraq war and the future of the Persian Gulf; 6. The Iraq war: American decision-making; 7. Conclusions: war and alliance in the Persian Gulf.

F. Gregory Gause, III is Professor of Political Science at the University of Vermont. His previous publications include Oil Monarchies: Domestic and Security Challenges in the Arab Gulf States (1994) and Saudi-Yemeni Relations: Domestic Structures and Foreign Influence (1990).

'The most authoritative account to date of the tumultuous events that marked the transition from British to American predominance in the Persian Gulf. Gause's meticulous reconstruction of regional political interactions illuminates and informs, while gently puncturing a handful of myths that have sprouted during the past half century to explain the many twists and turns of revolution, war and struggles for power in one of the most turbulent regions in the world.' Gary Sick, Senior Research Scholar and Director of the Gulf/2000 research project on the Persian Gulf at Columbia University

• 1. The Persian Gulf as a security region; 2. The emergence of the Gulf regional system, 1971–8; 3. The Iranian revolution and the Iran-Iraq war; 4. The Gulf war and the 1990s; 5. 9/11, the Iraq war and the future of the Persian Gulf; 6. The Iraq war: American decision-making; 7. Conclusions: war and alliance in the Persian Gulf.

F. Gregory Gause, III is Professor of Political Science at the University of Vermont. His previous publications include Oil Monarchies: Domestic and Security Challenges in the Arab Gulf States (1994) and Saudi-Yemeni Relations: Domestic Structures and Foreign Influence (1990).

'The most authoritative account to date of the tumultuous events that marked the transition from British to American predominance in the Persian Gulf. Gause's meticulous reconstruction of regional political interactions illuminates and informs, while gently puncturing a handful of myths that have sprouted during the past half century to explain the many twists and turns of revolution, war and struggles for power in one of the most turbulent regions in the world.' Gary Sick, Senior Research Scholar and Director of the Gulf/2000 research project on the Persian Gulf at Columbia University

• 1. The Persian Gulf as a security region; 2. The emergence of the Gulf regional system, 1971–8; 3. The Iranian revolution and the Iran-Iraq war; 4. The Gulf war and the 1990s; 5. 9/11, the Iraq war and the future of the Persian Gulf; 6. The Iraq war: American decision-making; 7. Conclusions: war and alliance in the Persian Gulf.