The Arabian Gulf has been at the center of the world stage and a major flash point for more than fifty years. In this book Iain Ballantyne, noted historian and editor of Warship International, examines the role of the U.S. and Royal Navy forces in this troubled area, from 1949 to the present day. He describes the frequent deployment of forces to counter numerous international threats, including the Israeli/Arab conflicts, the Iran/Iraq War, the U.S. hostage drama, Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, and the recent war to overthrow Saddam Hussein. The changing nature of the naval forces set against the ever-changing political and strategic backdrop is an invaluable addition to understanding current world events.