Reconstruction and Regional Diplomacy in the Persian Gulf

Since the Iranian Revolution of 1979, the Persian Gulf has been a focus of both media and academic attention. The Iran-Iraq War of 1980-88 and the events surrounding the 1991 Gulf War have further enhanced the region's strategic importance. This book goes beyond a description of recent events by analysing the social, political and economic patterns of interaction between the Gulf states. The study is deepened by a consideration of the role of the superpowers in the region's political discourse, and of religion as a force for change. Not only do the authors provide an easily accessible basis for explaining the current problems in the region; they also offer their own, sometimes provocative, policy prescriptions.