Major powers have long sought to pursue their strategic interests in the Gulf region and since the discovery of oil their engagement has increased in significance and intensity. Moreover, international interest in the area has increased substantially since the cataclysmic events of September 11, 2001, and subsequent terrorist attacks attributed to the Al-Qaeda organization and its affiliates. By virtue of their power and influence in world affairs and in international fora, the interests of Russia, France, Germany, the United States and Britain in the Gulf states are especially notable. This book represents an overview of the policies of Russia, France, Germany, the United States and Britain vis-a-vis the Gulf states. Specialists in the field of international politics (including Nikolai Zlobin, Pascal Boniface, Volker Perthes, Martin Indyk and Rosemary Hollis) explore the involvement of these five influential powers throughout the region. They consider the various interests of these states in security, energy, social development, commerce and trade, as well as in the war against international terrorism, and provide a valuable and timely source of reference for readers who wish to develop a greater understanding of these dynamics.