A description and analysis of the military history of the six key Arab states--Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Libya, Saudi Arabia, and Syria--during the post-World War II era.

"A Council on Foreign Relations book." Based in part on the author's dissertation (doctoral--MIT, 1996) under the title: The influence of Arab culture on Arab military effectiveness, 1948-1991. Iraq chapter includes: War for Israeli Independence, 1948 -- First Kurdish War, 1961-70 -- The October War, 1973 -- Second Kurdish War, 1974-75 -- Iran-Iraq War, 1980-88 -- The Gulf War, 1990-91 -- Iraqi Military Effectiveness, 1948-91. Jordan: The War of Israeli-Independence 1948 -- Jordanian-Israeli Clashes, 1949-66 -- The Six Day War 1967 -- The Battle of al-Karamah 1968 -- Black September and the Syrian Invasion of Jordan, 1970-71 -- October War 1973 -- Jordanian Military Effectiveness since 1973 -- Jordanian Military Effectiveness 1948-91 .

Machine generated contents note: Understanding Modern Arab Military Effectiveness, i -- 1. Egypt, 14 -- 2. Iraq, 148 -- 3. Jordan, 267 -- 4. Libya, 358 -- 5. Saudi Arabia, 425 -- 6. Syria, 447 -- Conclusions and Lessons, 552 -- Notes, 585 -- Selected Bibliography, 655 -- Index, 677.