The Gulf, Cooperation and the Council: An American Perspective

The author served in the State Department as the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) was being formed in the early 1980s. As a result, he has an insider's perspective on the early years of the GCC. Much useful information is provided on the council and its member states. The U.S. role is emphasized, and recent history, such as Desert Storm, is included. As a handbook and reference, this book is very useful, but one should not look for information that is not in the public domain, nor does the author critically examine some of the weaknesses and vulnerabilities of the GCC. This study is at its best in showing how the GCC has dealt with the United States, not on how the member states have dealt with one another and with their almost unmanageable problem of regional security.