SKU: 62811586458

Armies of Sand: The Past, Present, and Future of Arab Military Effectiveness

Sale price$32.89 Regular price$36.54
Save 10%

Pay in installments of $9.13 with ShopPay, AfterPay and Klarna

Shipping Estimate
USA
  • USA
  • CAN

Ships within 48 hours · Estimated delivery Jul 20 - Jul 25

Promo Codes Available:

For Your Every Summer RSVP, with Code: SUMMER15

Description

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
Shipping Notes
  • Free Standard Shipping on $100+ Orders to the USA.
  • Except Preorder products are shipped in 48 hours.
  • Delivery to the USA:
  1. Standard Shipping : 3-10 business days
  • If time is of the essence, please consider selecting expedited delivery for faster service.
Exchange/Return Notes
  • We offer a 30-day return/exchange service after receiving.
  • Final sale items are not eligible for returns or exchanges.
  • To process your return/exchange, please contact us at [email protected]
  • Please click here for more details>>> Return & Exchange Policy
SKU: 62811586458

Discover Niche Categories That Outsell

Top-Converting Item to Boost Your Average Order

4.8 ★★★★★
Based on 9 reviews
Sort
Highest Rating
Newest First
Oldest First
Product Reviews
N
Verified Purchase
Nurse Jesica
Charlottesville, US
★★★★★ 5
My Heels Were in Bad Shape. Like… Really Bad
Color: Gray
These moisturizing heel socks with the gel cushions were honestly a small miracle for me. After recovering from cancer treatments, my skin became extremely dry everywhere, but my heels were the worst. They cracked so deeply they looked like fissures and were even bleeding. I tried lotions and bandages repeatedly with very little progress. A friend suggested I treat my heel like it might have a fungal component, so I applied Lotrimin cream, put these heel socks on, and hoped for the best. Within three days, my heels were fully healed. I completed a 7-day routine, and my feet have never been softer. The silicone gel cushion is comfortable, soothing, and stays in place. I loved it so much that I still treat myself about once a week, even though I really don’t need to anymore. They are also washable. I hand-washed mine in the sink and let them air dry, and they came out looking brand new. If your heels are cracked, painful, or need serious care, I highly recommend these.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on January 9, 2026
B
Verified Purchase
Becky
Cuba, US
★★★★★ 5
Work well on hubby's heals
Color: Gray
Dr recommended these for hubby's dry cracked heals
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on May 9, 2026
M
Verified Purchase
Misha
Pawtucket, US
★★★★★ 3
Ehh. Not for me.
Color: Gray
Foot slides when walking in them. The fit was tighter than lead to believe. It did hold the moisture in but the silicone patch is small
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on February 23, 2026
A
Verified Purchase
Amazon Customer
Port Orchard, US
★★★★★ 5
Flawless Finish & Fantastic Value
These blenders are a total game-changer. The quality is fantastic, they are incredibly soft, bouncy, and provide a seamless, smooth finish for my foundation. I was also impressed by how well they handle powder for setting. Getting a 6-pack is an unbeatable value for the quantity. I am officially a fan and will definitely be purchasing these again!
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on April 13, 2026
P
Verified Purchase
Paige
San Leandro, US
★★★★★ 5
best makeup sponges on the market....even better than the $20 ones
best makeup sponges on the market....even better than the $20 ones. super soft, even coverage, doesn't absorb too much product & extremely affordable for a multi-pack so you can start throwing away your sponges when they go bad instead of hanging onto them for concerning amounts of time
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on May 9, 2026

recommand products