SKU: 62811586458

Armies of Sand: The Past, Present, and Future of Arab Military Effectiveness

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Armies of Sand: The Past, Present, and Future of Arab Military EffectivenessSince the Second World War, Arab armed forces have consistently punched below their weight. They have lost many wars that by all rights they should have won, and in their best performances only ever achieved quite modest accomplishments. Over time, soldiers, scholars, and military experts have offered various explanations for this pattern. Reliance on Soviet military methods, the poor civil military relations of the Arab world, the underdevelopment of

Since the Second World War, Arab armed forces have consistently punched below their weight. They have lost many wars that by all rights they should have won, and in their best performances only ever achieved quite modest accomplishments. Over time, soldiers, scholars, and military experts have offered various explanations for this pattern. Reliance on Soviet military methods, the poor civil-military relations of the Arab world, the underdevelopment of the Arab states, and patterns of behavior derived from the wider Arab culture, have all been suggested as the ultimate source of Arab military difficulties. In Armies of Sand, Kenneth M. Pollack assesses these differing explanations and isolates the most important causes. Over the course of the book, he examines the combat performance of fifteen Arab armies and air forces in virtually every Middle Eastern war, from the Jordanians and Syrians in 1948 to Hizballah in 2006 and the Iraqis and ISIS in 2014-2017. The book ultimately concludes that reliance on Soviet doctrine was more of a help than a hindrance to the Arabs. In contrast, politicization and underdevelopment were both important factors limiting Arab military effectiveness, but patterns of behavior derived from the dominant Arab culture was the most important factor of all. Pollack closes with a discussion of the rapid changes occurring across the Arab world, and suggests that because both Arab society and warfare are changing, the problems that have bedeviled Arab armed forces in the past could dissipate or even vanish in the future, with potentially dramatic consequences for the Middle East military balance. Sweeping in its coverage, this will be the go-to reference for anyone interested in the history of warfare in the Middle East since 1945.


Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Published: 01/15/2019
ISBN: 9780190906962
Pages: 696
Weight: 2.40lbs
Size: 9.50h x 6.40w x 1.70d

Review Citations: Choice 05/01/2019
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SKU: 62811586458

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Denise
Louisville, US
★★★★★ 5
Keeps clutter away
Size: 7.7" x 7.7" x 1.7", Color: Black (Metal Silvered)
This works great to corral all my notes I write on post its or small notes. Keeping them hidden from the desk top b/c or the depth but still visible to me. Much better than keeping on the plotter. Looks great in quality .
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MovieGuy
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Attractive, Simple, And Well-Made
Size: 7.7" x 7.7" x 1.7", Color: Orange (Metal Glided)
I use this as a "catchall". A place to stash things like my wallet and keys when I enter the door, so that I don't use them (I had been prone to that!). It serves it's purpose well. It's both sturdy and attractive, and a good size for a "catchall". Recommended for those like me who need such things.
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Kirstin Gramith
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★★★★★ 4
Good quality, orange color
Size: 7.7" x 7.7" x 1.7", Color: Orange (Metal Glided), Size: 7.7" x 7.7" x 1.7", Color: Orange (Metal Glided)
The quality is surprisingly good but the color is much more orange toned in person.
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kenneth
Fort Morgan, US
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Holder
Size: 7.7" x 7.7" x 1.7", Color: Black (Metal Silvered)
It’s great for my keys and wallet and other stuff I use it every day
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catherine m d
Port Orchard, US
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Very nice leather catch all
Size: 7.7" x 7.7" x 1.7", Color: Black (Metal Glided)
Lovely tray. High quality.
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Reviewed in the United States on December 10, 2025

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