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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Christine Ellis
Natrona Heights, US
★★★★★ 5
Novelty quality plastic, gorgeous color, and sturdy
Color: Purple
I was a little surprised when I took it out of the pkg. It seemed flimsy. It holds whatever I put in any position, perfectly balanced.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 12, 2026
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C.Blackman
Waukegan, US
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Plastic key holder
Color: Black
A little light as it is plastic, but it does the job
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A.Daniels
Lake Worth, US
★★★★★ 5
Great for keys
Color: Black
I haven’t misplaced my keys since I bought it. I do wish it were a little heavier in weight but it gets the job done
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Reviewed in the United States on May 15, 2026
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Amazon Customer
Massapequa, US
★★★★★ 1
I do not recommend
Color: White
Very flimsy and cheap
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Adin Portillo
Natrona Heights, US
★★★★★ 3
Great for simple jewelry
Color: Black
I’ve had it for some time now, it’s okay. Not the material I was expecting. It’s sturdy. It came with a few scratches, I did get a used one though. I recommend this product for simple jewelry for kids, and get something better quality for your more expensive jewelry.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 29, 2026

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