Why Arab armies don't win wars
3 hours ago
- In the 1967 Six-Day War, the Egyptian Air Force was destroyed by Israel, and despite numerical superiority, the Arab coalition suffered a crushing defeat.
- Kenneth Pollack argued that the poor performance of the Arab military could not be simply attributed to Soviet doctrine or politicization.
- Pollack suggested that cultural factors such as deference to authority, group loyalty, personal honor, and shame were the primary causes.
- Arab education emphasized rote memorization over problem-solving, and this pattern permeated military training.
- Exceptions such as Hezbollah and the Islamic State's success support Pollack's cultural explanation.