Arabian vs. Persian
The body of water between Arabia and Iran, which extends 600 miles from the Shatt al Arab delta to the Strait of Hormuz, is called variously the PERSIAN GULF or the ARABIAN GULF. Westerners usually use the former, while Arabs prefer the latter. Some U.S. military officials, in deference to the Arab partners of the multinational coalition against Iraq, have begun using the Arabian Gulf terminology.
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