The latest report on the ISIL taking over a Syrian base and getting hold of SA-16 MANPADs and MiG-21s with sidewinder missiles, I wonder what is wrong with the Arab armies that they seem to drop their advanced weapons and run for cover during battles? In the last fifty years there have been many instances of an Arab army leaving their weapons and running for cover. Recently, ISIL has gotten strong because it has recovered the weapons that the fleeing Iraqi army had left behind as they bolted from battle with ISIL despite having more forces, ammunition, superior weapons, missiles, artillery and armored brigades. In the gulf war I and II, the Iraqi army was nowhere to be found despite being the third largest force in the world at one time. In the many wars with Israel, the armies from Egypt, Jordan and Syria have a stellar record of running for cover despite numerical advantage, geographically superior positioning and advance weapons. Prior to 1973, Israel was not the recipient of the huge US military aid that it has been since. Still, in the 1967 war, the Syrian army had the advantage of Golan and other heights and Russian supplied artillery but it ran for cover within a few days. Same for Egypt army that ran from Sinai leaving so much weapons behind, the Israelis did not know what to do with it (much of it was sold to Pakistan for the Afghan war in the 80’s). Jordan also withdrew from Jerusalem and West Bank instead of fighting. At that time, the Russian supplied Kalashnikov used by the Arab armies was a much superior gun than the Uzi used by the Israelis. The Russian MiGs that Egypt and Syria had were at par with the French mirage planes that Israelis had. Why do the Arab armies have always deserted and run for cover despite having the advantage in weaponry and numbers in battles in the recent past? What was the last time an Arab army fought gallantly in a battle?
Re: What is wrong with Arab armies
- What is wrong with Arab armies
I think its wrong to even assume that arabs have ANY army at all.
Re: What is wrong with Arab armies
ISIL is a volunteer force, and so highly motivated. They are also highly trained and hardened.
Most armies in the Muslim world are in a pathetic state. They are designed and charged (primarily) for controlling populations, not really fighting wars. They say the Iraqi army was quite good at manning checkpoints...beyond that...
Re: What is wrong with Arab armies
There are different problems with the different armies.
Syria has a conscript army. Its soldiers aren't picked for being the most willing or able to fight, its soldiers are there because the alternative is prison. In addition, its army is spread out due to having to both occupy its own country and fight across a broad front. ISIS can concentrate its force of highly motivated volunteers to fight. Casualty estimates for the Taqba Airbase battle indicate that ISIS took casualties 3 times higher than the Syrian Army during the attack, and yet it is the Syrians who's will and ability to fight broke first and left.
Iraq's problem is different. It did have a volunteer army, but massive corruption crippled its ability to fight (ammunition and parts don't reach units), and its officer corps is rotten and unwilling to fight. When Mosul fell without a fight Iraqi soldiers complained that their officers fled first leaving them directionless. In the Iraqi Army the officer corps had a lot of political appointees who didn't join the army to fight, but instead for prestige and pay.
Re: What is wrong with Arab armies
ISIL is a volunteer force, and so highly motivated. They are also highly trained and hardened.
Most armies in the Muslim world are in a pathetic state. T*hey are designed and charged (primarily) for controlling populations*, not really fighting wars. They say the Iraqi army was quite good at manning checkpoints...beyond that...
Well said
Re: What is wrong with Arab armies
arab armies would not allowed to do such operation.
Even if russia came to do some thing there would be conflict with amreeka.
So just hope ISIS die in their sleep.
Re: What is wrong with Arab armies
The fact that even after spending billions of dollars, having the fifth highest defense budget, the Saudis still need to ask Amreekis or Pakistanis to defend them says it all
Re: What is wrong with Arab armies
The fact that even after spending billions of dollars, having the fifth highest defense budget, the Saudis still need to ask Amreekis or Pakistanis to defend them says it all
To be fair, they started spending so much only after the first gulf war, and since then haven't asked America or Pakistan to defend it. The US bases were packed up over 10 years ago, and there have been no confirmed reports of Saudi Arabia asking for any additional Pakistani forces.
Re: What is wrong with Arab armies
There is nothing wrong with arab armies, they are lions led by donkeys. If their leadership was not interested solely in accumulating power and retaining power then we might start to see some professionalism and progress among the arab world. Only 3 arab countries had decent armies, Egypt, Syria and Iraq. Egypt has sold itself to Israel, Iraq has been destroyed through wars and Syria is also being destroyed. It is dangerous to be a friend of the US, although as its enemy you have better odds.
Re: What is wrong with Arab armies
There is nothing wrong with arab armies, they are lions led by donkeys. If their leadership was not interested solely in accumulating power and retaining power then we might start to see some professionalism and progress among the arab world. Only 3 arab countries had decent armies, Egypt, Syria and Iraq. Egypt has sold itself to Israel, Iraq has been destroyed through wars and Syria is also being destroyed. It is dangerous to be a friend of the US, although as its enemy you have better odds.
Syria and Iraq never had decent armies. They had armies filled conscripts armed with junk equipment that was suitable only for fighting other third rate armies.
Armies that didn't want to fight armed with weapons near useless for modern war.
Re: What is wrong with Arab armies
Syria and Iraq never had decent armies. They had armies filled conscripts armed with junk equipment that was suitable only for fighting other third rate armies.
Armies that didn't want to fight armed with weapons near useless for modern war.
Iraq did have a good army as it fought 8 years of war with Iran which did destroy it, also during the 1973 October War Egyptian soldiers used to specifically request Iraqi pilots over Egyptian pilots to destroy Israeli tanks in the Sinai area due to their skills.
Syria also did well in its last war with Israel after the initial phase.
Re: What is wrong with Arab armies
Before the advent of Islam the Arab nation was just a footnote in the annals of human history.
Allah Almighty Graced the Arab nation with Islam and this insignificant feuding tribal society conquered the known world within one century which is an amazing feat in world history.
Ever since Arab world gives just a lip service to Islam and worships lesser gods in Washington and London they have been facing humiliation in every sphere of human life.
Golden words spoken by one of the best Companion of the Blessed Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him)
“Ameer ul Momineen Umar bin Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "We were a people who lived in humiliation before, and Allah gave us honor through Islam. So if we seek honor through anything else other than what Allah has honored us with, then Allah will humiliate us".
[Mustadrak Al Hakim 207, Sahih by Ad Dhahabi in Talkhees and Sahih by Albani in Silsilah Sahiha 51]”
Unfortunately the Great Arab nation nowadays is led by donkeys blinkered by short-sighted self serving interests
Re: What is wrong with Arab armies
Before the advent of Islam the Arab nation was just a footnote in the annals of human history.
Allah Almighty Graced the Arab nation with Islam and this insignificant feuding tribal society conquered the known world within one century which is an amazing feat in world history.
Ever since Arab world gives just a lip service to Islam and worships lesser gods in Washington and London they have been facing humiliation in every sphere of human life.
Golden words spoken by one of the best Companion of the Blessed Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him)
“Ameer ul Momineen Umar bin Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "We were a people who lived in humiliation before, and Allah gave us honor through Islam. So if we seek honor through anything else other than what Allah has honored us with, then Allah will humiliate us".
[Mustadrak Al Hakim 207, Sahih by Ad Dhahabi in Talkhees and Sahih by Albani in Silsilah Sahiha 51]”
Unfortunately the Great Arab nation nowadays is led by donkeys blinkered by short-sighted self serving interests
Its true about not just Arabs but all Muslims.
Re: What is wrong with Arab armies
They forgot where their b@lls are 
Re: What is wrong with Arab armies
Agree. In the last hundred years, Arab armies have shown a remarkable ability to scatter into winds instead holding ground and fighting despite superior numbers and weapons. I can’t think of a single battle. Even the current Saudi Arabia was found when the armies of Hejaz were defeated by the Saudi tribe. Maybe there is some example from the Iran-Iraq war where Iraqi army have shown some fortitude?
Re: What is wrong with Arab armies
The desert has no stones and lots of dates.
Re: What is wrong with Arab armies
even the pakistani military generals are super-rich and corrupt, and they do what their American masters command.
they depend on the US for military support, weaponry, training, etc. Without US support they're nothing, essentially.
Look at them using American F-16s, well, every now and then 1 of them falls off somewhere in the country in some pind...
those paitoo generals and majors are no longer fit to fight wars, as wars and attacks are now via air, not conventional ground wars
their waistlines are a mess. they can barely run these days they eat too much(corruption and kickbacks)
if that's not enough, see them overtake civilian positions such as being ambassadors, heads of various agencies/departments, etc
So your own military isn't that good anymore. They're morally corrupt and weak now. I wouldn't dwell on their effectiveness anymore, unless ofcourse you're talking about taking over Islamabad