Looking at the Arab-Israeli military balance in light of the most recent developments in Israel, the Palestinian territories, Iraq, Lebanan, Syria, and Iran, this book tracks force developments and the changing military balance in each of the Arab-Israeli ring states.
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.
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*
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*
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*
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*
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