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Alternatives to Arab Military Reform

(Beirut Daily Star) Ashraf Fahim - Together, the 22 Arab states spent nearly $50 billion on armaments in 2002, in addition to the billions of dollars in military aid sent by the U.S. to Jordan and Egypt. In 2001, six Arab states spent more on arms than they did on health or education. Nearly 70% of arms expenditures were by Gulf states, who don't really need the weapons. The remaining weaponry languishes in the armories of nations who have traditionally performed poorly on the battlefield. Underdevelopment and technological inferiority have greatly contributed to Arab military ineffectiveness, especially with regard to air power. Other deficiencies come from the fact that the armed forces operate in authoritarian political systems and according to an ineffective military doctrine inherited from the USSR. Arab militaries have tended to be overly hierarchical and tactically rigid; enlisted men have been inadequately trained and poorly treated.
2004-01-22 00:00:00
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