A Poisoned Chalice: The U.S. Navy in the Persian Gulf, 1987-1988
304 pages
Dr James WE Smith, King’s College London
A Poisoned Chalice: The U.S. Navy in the Persian Gulf, 1987-1988 by Stephen P. Phillips, a former US Navy Commander, discusses the Iran-Iraq ‘Tanker War’ of the 1980s combining the strategic implications with what happened at an operational and tactical level of warfare and what the war can teach the United States about the Middle East today. Considering events taking place between the United States and Iran in 2026, the publication of the book is timely to say the least, meaning ‘straight out of the door’, it’s a must read for military personnel and defence civilians in the US and beyond.
The author builds on his PhD thesis. He was awarded his doctorate from the Department of War Studies, King’s College London, recently. With that in mind, the reader can have confidence that Phillip’s attention to detail, accuracy and analysis is the very best and rooted in skill, which he communicates through the text in an accessible manner. Presented as a historical analysis, this work offers a rigorously technical examination of pivotal naval operations within a contested period of US military history. It is a meticulously documented historical analysis of US naval operations during the final phase of the Iran-Iraq War’s contested maritime dimension (1986–1988). This work centres on the US Navy’s conduct of Operation EARNEST WILL – a sustained maritime intervention involving the protection of commercial oil tankers against Iranian asymmetric threats. The book critically examines three interlinked operational paradigms: (1) tactical mine countermeasures executed by the US Navy and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) personnel in commercial shipping lanes; (2) major incidents including USS Stark, USS Samuel B Roberts and OP PRAYING MANTIS (a naval engagement that significantly degraded Iranian naval capabilities); and (3) the ‘Vincennes incident’ – where the USS Vincennesmistakenly engaged Iran Air Flight 655, resulting in civilian casualties that later influenced Iranian diplomatic posturing . Through this lens, Phillips analyses the strategic implications of this MARITIME conflict (‘Tanker War’) for US naval doctrine and Middle Eastern security dynamics. The study demonstrates how these operations established precedents for contemporary naval engagements, including the 2003 Iraq War and subsequent counterterrorism operations in the Persian Gulf region. The title, referencing Ayatollah Khomeini’s (1902-1989) metaphor “drinking from a poisoned chalice” to describe the perceived peril of accepting a peace treaty, is contextualised as a deliberate rhetorical device reflecting the era’s geopolitical situation.
Philips’ literary background manifests through meticulously constructed narrative sequences that enhance the analysis of how, why and when things happened. This is particularly relevant amid contemporary geopolitical tensions. The text provides critical insight into how limited mine deployment can effectively disrupt navigational channels – or how minor operational oversights may trigger cascading systemic failures, in short, readiness. Crucially, Phillips has received praise by those who were witness to actual events, complementing him on his accuracy. That Phillips has a background in fictional writing helped him explain experiences in a manner that is gripping while never wandering from the truth, not at easy feat. Events, and explanations are stepped through methodically making the content accessible, a far sight from a PhD thesis!
On a final histography side, the ‘Tanker War’ has served as a reminder that it is time for naval history to move forward from reluctance to address post-1945 matters. Although key moments like the 1982 Falklands War have not been short of scholarship, that effort has moved to explore the late 1980s and 1990s is a sure sign that it’s time to address recent decades, destroying the ‘up to 1945’ barrier that some scholars have attempted to enforce. It is important that the efforts and experiences of sailors and marines post-1982 are recorded, addressed and analysed, as best as can be considering classification, not just to continue the insight offered from experience for future military personnel and civilians, but equally in the fight against ‘seablindness’. The few scholars who are actively writing about recent decades, such as Phillips, deserve additional praise for forging a path ahead. BZ. In conclusion, this is a highly recommended read, for military and civilians alike.
