THE GULF CO-OPERATION COUNCIL

IN THE DECADE since the British military withdrawal from the Gulf a near military and political vacuum has existed in the area. The shaky concept that Iran would somehow fill the gap was abruptly demolished by the revolutionary overthrow of the Shah and the subsequent radical shift in Iran's foreign alignments and policies. The war between Iraq and Iran killed off any lingering ideas-that-Iran could play the part of policeman of the region; never a welcome theory to the Arab states and now a totally unacceptable and impossible resort.