Arabs at War: Military Effectiveness, 1948-1991 (Studies in War, Society, and the Military) - Hardcover

Pollack, Kenneth M.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0803237332 ISBN 13: 9780803237339

Publisher: University of Nebraska Press, 2002

Synopsis

Ken Pollack of the White House's National Security Council describes and analyzes the military history of six of the most important Arab states - Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Libya, Saudi Arabia, and Syria - during the post-World War II era. For all of these countries, except Jordan, this is the first time their complete postwar military histories have been recorded in unclassified form. In particular Pollack focuses on the Arab armies themselves, helping to illuminate the reasons for seeming Arab military ineffectiveness in the modern era. He shows in detail how each Arab military grew and learned from its own experiences in response to the specific objectives set for it and within often constrained political, economic, and social circumstances. This first ever overview of the Arab approach to warfare provides a better understanding of the capabilities and limitations of the Arab militaries, some of which are the United States' most likely adversaries, while others are some of our most important allies.

About this title

Review:

"Pollack achieves the dual purpose of analyzing the factors that have consistently hindered these armed forces and providing a robust assessment of their strengths and weaknesses during various battles. Since the experiences of these forces continue to shape military action around the world, this important overview belongs in all military research libraries and larger university libraries." Library Journal (October 2002) "Ken Pollack's critical analysis of the Arab military is comprehensive and illuminating. A masterful, much needed and timely work of practical scholarship." -Lt. Gen. Bernard E. Trainor, USMC (Ret.) Senior Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations. "An important reference for anyone working on the history of the Middle East, regional security studies, and military and arms control analysis." Anthony H. Cordesman, author of Peace and War: The Arab-Israeli Military Balance Enters the 21st Century and Iran's Military Forces in Transition: Conventional Threats and Weapons of Mass Destruction "classic study." Fareed Zakaria's "World View" column in the April 7 issue of Newswee

About the Author:

Kenneth M. Pollack is Olin Senior Fellow and Deputy Director for National Security Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations.

About this edition

• Publisher: University of Nebraska Press
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 0803237332
• ISBN 13: 9780803237339
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 699