Arab-Israeli Military Forces in an Era of Asymmetric Wars

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Anthony H. Cordesman

ISBN: 0-275-99186-5

ISBN-13: 978-0-275-99186-9

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432 pages

Praeger Publishers

Publication: 9/30/2006

List Price: $89.95 (UK Sterling Price: £62.95)

Discount Price: $44.98 Sale Price for U.S. Customers Only. Save 50%. Ends 12/31/2009.

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Media Type: Hardcover

Trim Size: 6 1/8 x 9 1/4

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Reviews:

As with all of his publications on Middle Eastern military matters, the real strength of Cordesman's book is the vast amount of micro-level details he provides on the military capabilities of each actor. This is a reference work full of facts and figures, clearly designed with military analysts in mind.
—Journal of Palestine Studies Winter 2008
Cordesman summarizes the overall balance of military forces in the Middle East. Covering Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and Palestine, he reports on each state's military force structures, material, and personnel; describes arms exports and imports; and reviews strategic, operational, and tactical doctrines. Where applicable, he also discusses similar information for significant non-state militia forces, such as Hamas in Palestine and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
—Reference & Research Book News February 2007
Anthony Cordesman here does what he does best. In his latest of a long series of books on the Middle East, Arab-Israel Military Forces in Asymmetric Warfare, he evaluates the military forces of Israel and its surrounding Arab neighbors with particular emphasis on unconventional warfare, or what is now called asymmetric warfare, meaning war where one side mingles with the civilian population causing moral confusion to the enemy. His book consists of an overview along with a segment for each of the countries involved. His findings are what most of us have already surmised: that in a conventional army-to-army war, Israel will triumph. He gives us detailed proof as to why, and as we learn more about their armies, we get a better understanding of each of the countries....Mr. Cordesman simply reports the facts with masses of corroborating detail and leaves moral judgments to others. We need not ask for more.
—The Washington Times September 26, 2006
Cordesman holds the Burke Chair in Strategy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. So it is not surprising that this book contains an exhaustive array of information and graphics on the quantities and types of weapons for ground, air, air defense, naval, and paramilitary forces as well as weapons of mass destruction capabilities in each of the actors at the core of the Arab-Israeli conflict. These actors are the nation-states of Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon, as well as the Palestinians. The comprehensive order-of-battle information is complemented by rich qualitative analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of military and security forces in combat. The book clearly shows how Israeli forces have managed to sustain, and even increase, their qualitative edge in combat power over Arab military forces. It also contains discussions of important historical events and their context, and treats the latest key developments in the Arab-Israeli conflict. The book is an important reference work for graduate students, scholars, and practitioners who study Middle East security issues. It is especially recommended for libraries intent on maintaining important reference volumes for the Middle East. Highly recommended. Graduate students, faculty, and practitioners.
—Choice 3/1/2007

Description: The reality of the Arab-Israeli balance now consists of two subordinate balances: Israel versus Syria and Israel versus the Palestinians. The book analyzes these two balances in detail and their impact on defense planning in each country and on the overall strategic risk to the region as a whole. It covers military developments in each of six states-Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and Palestine-and provides an analytical view with charts and tables of how the changing natures of the military and political threats faced by each is impacting its military force readiness and development. The book has the most comprehensive data on past, current, and future military force structure currently available, drawn from the widest range of sources.

Responding to the most recent of events in the region, this book is the first to deal with the effects on the Arab-Israeli military balance of the strategic uncertainty created by the Iraqi insurgency and the Iranian nuclear program. It also studies how the Gaza pullout, the Syrian withdrawal from Lebanon, the changing political landscape in Israel, and the threat of nuclear proliferation are having impacts on the Egyptian-Israeli and Jordanian-Israeli peace accords and the prospects for a settlement between the Palestinians and Israelis. The roles of Hezbollah, Hamas, and Palestinian Islamic Jihad are analyzed in light of the changing political landscape in both Israel and Palestine. Given the role of Syria in the Palestinian-Israeli affairs, the book also explores the ways that internal instability in Lebanon could escalate into a regional conflict.

About the Author: Anthony H. Cordesman is Senior Fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and a military analyst for ABC News. A frequent commentator on National Public Radio, he is the author of numerous books on security issues and has served in a number of senior positions in the U.S. government.

LCC Class: UA832


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