Introduction /William J. Olson -- Patterns of regional conflict and U.S. Gulf policy / Lenore G. Martin -- The Arab-Israeli conflict : an enduring danger to regional security / Augustus Richard Norton -- Soviet policy toward the Persian Gulf from the outbreak of the Iran-Iraq war to the death of Konstantin Chernenko / Robert O. Freedman -- The Soviet naval presence in the Indian Ocean and Western security / Richard B. Remnek -- Ideological challenges to American involvement in the Persian Gulf / Jerrold D. Green -- The Saudi economy in transition : prospects and bottlenecks / Riad Ajami -- Rapid deployment and the regional military challenge : the Persian Gulf equation / Maxwell Orme Johnson -- Assistance to the Persian Gulf region / Michael W.S. Ryan -- The limits of access : projecting U.S. forces to the Persian Gulf / Thomas L. McNaugher -- Force from the sea : a modest proposal / Michael Vlahos -- An alternative strategy for southwest Asia / William J. Olson.