THE historical background boils down totwo conclusions about the Persian Gulf crisis. Thefirst is why Saddam invaded Kuwait. More thangeography or history, the authors assert, Kuwait'srefusal to give Saddam the $30 million he demandedlast spring brought on the invasion.

"More than most leaders, Saddam needs money tostay in power. Money is necessary to keep hispeople quiescent, to placate any simmeringrestlessness. Money is necessary for the huge,wasteful weapons program, that convey to hispeople the image of his unassailable might,"Mylroie writes.

"For Saddam there is little room betweenrestless motion and collapse. He is like a bicyclerider. Sitting on a very narrow base, Saddameither moves forward or he falls," she continues.

The other conclusion is why American forces arein the Gulf. "In short," Miller says, "Americanforces have been sent to Saudi Arabia to protectthe nation's access to oil." The authors dismissall other motives, such as protecting democracy inKuwait or Saudi Arabia, as hypocritical sinceneither regime is exactly democratic.

While the book's historical and investigativeemphasis makes it an important source on the Gulfcrisis, Mylroie and Miller's conclusions seem tocircle around each other. Alternating the writingof chapters may have speeded the publication ofthe book, but it leaves Saddam Husseinslightly schizophrenic.

Saddam Hussein and the Crisis in theGulf won't be be the most comforting readingfor winter break. But Miller and Mylroie's bookoffers the only readable account of the Gulfcrisis so far