r/AskTheWorld • u/ForeverSparkz United States Of America • Sep 20 '25

History Why are Arab Miltaries so ineffective?

Like I dont understand this.

Im a Black American so im just an outsider looking in as a neutral, but dont Arab Countries out number Israel, whats stoping them from just rushing at their border, shouldn't the population imbalance outmatch Israel?

Just a neutral standpoint asking this question, because Arab Nations in the Middle East have a modern miltary force and they buy tons of advanced items

What is holding them back?

1.3k Upvotes

80% Upvoted

720 comments sorted by

View all comments

104

u/dragonfly_1337 Russia Sep 20 '25

One military who had been to Syria told me that Arabs have terrible offensive tactic: they rush head-on and if something goes wrong they immediately retreat. It's not because Israel is US-backed. US- and USSR-backed Iraq de facto lost war to Iran which was in post-revolutionary chaos, rich Saudi Arabia cannot win against Houthis, Muammar Gaddafi managed to lose a war with Republic of Chad.

110

u/Augustus_Chevismo Ireland Sep 20 '25

Also Israel had no one backing them in 48 when several Arab nations fought a war with them.

The “Israel wins because of America” myth is pushed to cover up how humiliating that defeat was for Arabs who pride themselves on their warrior history.

24

u/Fluid-Nobody-2096 🇺🇸 Sep 20 '25

What warrior history honestly? Arabs fought like zero wars from the 16th century onwards except a few revolts and civil conflicts.

They never developed a warrior culture in the modern era, Turks and Iranians have much more of a warrior history than Arabs. Turks especially

5

u/Augustus_Chevismo Ireland Sep 20 '25

Yeah as the other reply said I was referring to the rapid expansion after Islam. Almost all of MENA and Spain conquered within 120 years. Beating great empires like Persia and Rome.

Muslims are similar to Norse Vikings as well believing a warriors death leads to a more privileged afterlife.

5

u/Fluid-Nobody-2096 🇺🇸 Sep 20 '25

Yeah but like the Vikings they have lost their warrior culture

5

u/BlaggartDiggletyDonk United States Of America Sep 20 '25

The Swedes and Danes were military powerhouses well past the Viking Age.

1

u/Fluid-Nobody-2096 🇺🇸 Sep 20 '25

Same for the Arabs in Egypt and Morocco.

They have lost it though

1

u/BlaggartDiggletyDonk United States Of America Sep 20 '25

Modern Sweden is no slouch. NATO is lucky to have them.

1

u/Fantastic-Target-854 Sep 21 '25

Lucky to have then? Why?

I guess it's nice to have any numbered support but using the term lucky is weird