ABSTRACT
The Arab world is home to many of the world's largest and most expensive militaries. These forces have rarely, however, realised their potential on the battlefield. In 1948, Arab armies fared poorly against Israeli forces; in the Suez imbroglio eight years later, Nasser's political victory obscured his military's mediocre performance; in the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, the coalition of Egyptian, Syrian and Jordanian forces failed to turn its substantial numbers of men and arms to its advantage. The dilemma posed by the conflicting demands of political control and battlefield efficiency is more pronounced at certain times than at others. Two related factors strengthen a regime's hand against the military and enable it to undertake reform: an upsurge in popular support for the regime, or the incorporation of new interest groups; and the elimination of politically powerful factions in the military.
