Reviews (1)

A dry, technical, but thorough treatment
This book is part of a series, all by the same author, which altogether covers the military situation of the Arabian peninsula (excluding Yemen).This particular volume is divided in sections by country, and covershistory, the current military situation, and internal security issues(i.e., police, internal intelligence agencies, and likelihood of domesticunrest).It's in the style of a technical report;few people would findit to be "fun reading," nor was it intended to be.I wasdisappointed that on the topic of UAE internal security, the seven emiratesof the UAE were lumped together;it would have been interesting to learnmore about the differences in policing and internal security among thevarious UAE jurisdictions.Nevertheless, this volume covers the minorcountries of the Gulf Region with a thoroughness and degree of detail thatis not equaled by anything else that's in print. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Defenses    2. General    3. History    4. History: World    5. Middle East - General    6. National security    7. Persian Gulf States    8. Politics / Current Events    9. Strategic aspects   

Subjects:  1. History    2. History: World    3. Inspirational - Gifts    4. Middle East - General    5. Pictorials    6. Reference - General    7. Travel - Foreign    8. Asian studies    9. Qatar   

Subjects:  1. Bahrain    2. Boundaries    3. Foreign Relations    4. History    5. History - General History    6. History: World    7. International Relations - General    8. Middle East - General    9. Middle East - History    10. Qatar    11. Cultural studies    12. International law of territories    13. Middle East   

Reviews (4)

The Ottoman Failure in the Persian Gulf States
In The Ottoman Gulf, Frederick F. Anscombe sets out to show the inaccuracy of the thought that Britain was the main force behind the creation of the Persian Gulf's Arab states.Anscombe indicates the responsibility of the Ottoman Empire and its operations in Arabia as the central factor behind the development of the states of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait.Instead of the conventional notion that Britain always intended to establish its influence and gain dominance in the region, Anscombe argues that it was rather the Ottoman rule of the area that led to the formation of the states.As Anscombe states in his introduction, "...if the Ottomans had governed the mainland effectively, Britain would not have become entangled in the territories that were to become the states of Kuwait, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia...the British were drawn, often unwillingly and even unwittingly, into mainland politics" (3). New perspective on gulf history
The modern history of the Persian Gulf has been the subject of several published studies, most notably those of J.B. Kelly and Briton Cooper Busch.The perspective of those works was, however, decidedly Anglocentric, relying heavily on British documents from the Foreign and India Offices.Frederick Anscombe offers a new perspective; he relies largely on the Ottoman archives, though the standard English language works are by no means ignored. The Ottoman Connection
Anscombe does an excellent job of balancing the predominant British viewpoint of Persian Gulf history with his original research in the Ottoman Imperial Archives.He gives an interesting and readable perspective, notonly to 19th century history, but also to how this continues to affect theGulf, and much of the rest of the world, today. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. History    2. History - General History    3. History: World    4. Kuwait    5. Middle East - General    6. Qatar    7. Saudi Arabia    8. Turkey    9. 20th century    10. Arabian peninsula    11. Asian / Middle Eastern history: c 1500 to c 1900    12. Asian / Middle Eastern history: from c 1900 -    13. British & Irish history: c 1700 to c 1900    14. European history: c 1750 to c 1900    15. History / Middle East    16. International relations    17. Middle East    18. United Kingdom, Great Britain    19. c 1800 to c 1900   

Subjects:  1. Asian / Middle Eastern history    2. Qatar   

Reviews (2)

The Best Introduction Available
This is the best introduction available on the Gulf states, examining such critical themes as the British imperial legacy and the relationship between state, economy, and social classes. It certainly offers a non-Orientalist treatment and avoids the condescending and often bigoted discourse adopted by such colonial-minded writers as J.B. Kelly. The late Said-Zahlan had a full mastery of the British archives and extensive knowledge of the region. This is reflected in this valuable and concise introductory work.
A dry and uncritical introduction
Zahlan covers the history of the Gulf states with special emphasis on the history of the various monarchical families. Sadly, her attitude is unflinchingly fawning; she seems afraid to say one negative thing aboutthese countries and their economic and political challenges. As well, thewriting style is very dry and wooden. Her bias is symbolized by one of themaps showing the UAE as extending westward all the way to Dawhat as Salwa,at the southwest base of Qatar. This reflects absurdly ambitiousterritorial claims of the UAE at a time when the Saudis have claimed thecoast in the vicinity of Khawr Duwayhin, southeast of Qatar. This map isemblematic of the book's flaws. A much better book despite its age (1980)is 'Arabia, the Gulf, & the West' by J.B. Kelly. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. History: American    2. 20th century    3. Asian / Middle Eastern history: c 1500 to c 1900    4. Asian / Middle Eastern history: from c 1900 -    5. Middle East    6. c 1700 to c 1800    7. c 1800 to c 1900   

Subjects:  1. Canadian    2. Canadians    3. Drama    4. General    5. Historical drama    6. Operation Desert Shield, 1990-    7. Operation Desert Shield, 1990-1991    8. Plays    9. Plays / Drama    10. Qatar    11. Drama / Canadian   

Subjects:  1. General    2. History - General History    3. Middle East    4. Kuwait--Politics and government    5. Political Science / General    6. Political economy   

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Subjects:  1. Business / Economics / Finance    2. General    3. Qatar    4. Country Industry Report    5. Economics    6. Export    7. Investment    8. Marketing    9. Human Resource    10. Business Strategy    11. Politics    12. Law    13. Culture    14. History   

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Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. History    4. Industries - General    5. Petroleum Industries (Economic Aspects)    6. Petroleum industry and trade    7. Qatar    8. Petroleum & oil industries   

Subjects:  1. History - General History    2. Middle East - General    3. Asian / Middle Eastern history    4. Qatar   

Subjects:  1. History - General History    2. Middle East - General   

Subjects:  1. History - General History    2. Middle East - General    3. 20th century    4. Asian / Middle Eastern history: c 1500 to c 1900    5. Asian / Middle Eastern history: from c 1900 -    6. Qatar    7. Reference works    8. c 1800 to c 1900   

Subjects:  1. Fisheries    2. History    3. Qatar   

Subjects:  1. Asia - General    2. General    3. Middle East - General    4. Travel    5. Travel - Foreign    6. Asian / Middle Eastern history    7. Political economy    8. Qatar   

Subjects:  1. ASIA    2. Asian / Middle Eastern history   

Subjects:  1. Asian / Middle Eastern history    2. Qatar