Arab armies in 'Small Wars' and the 'Arab Spring' (merged thread)

[davidbfpo]

Carl in part asked:

So I got a question for all but especially JCustis, how effective have Arab armies been at fighting small wars and suppressing insurgencies over the years?

Carl,

A number of Arab armies have fought small wars / insurgencies since the 1960's and several have participated in UN peacekeeping, such as the Egyptians in Sarajevo and the Jordanians in Eastern Slavonia. I have not checked, but Wikipedia will have entries on each campaign and army; some are also covered in SWC threads. Not to overlook the volumes by Dr Anthony Cordesman on the arab armies, although I've not seen one of late.

Going from west to east and excluding a number of armies, e.g. Kuwait:

Morocco - long campaign against Polisario over Western Sahara, after the Spanish left; finally achieved a stalemate by building a fortified desert barrier hundreds of miles long. That conflict is not over, but with a ceasefire IIRC. Long ago their army was highly respected when serving with the UN, although most of the commentary was from French sources.

Algeria - a long, brutal COIN campaign, which bubbles along today and rightly their performance is suppression first. It is odd after the brutalities of the anti-French struggle within two decades the state resorted to a 'dirty war'.

Tunisia - at one time a regular UN contributor and rarely used internally.

Libya - during the Gadafy era over-armed and poorly trained. As proved in the Azou Strip (?) border clash with Chad and its French ally (one of the first publicised wars with "technicals") and then their intervention in Libya. If there was a professional cadre I doubt it is involved today, Libya becoming a militia-first state.

Egypt - fought its own "small war" in the Yemeni civil war in the early 1960's, very similar to the early Soviet campaign in Afghanistan; reliant on air power and allegations of CW use. Royalists supported by the UK privately and Saudi Arabia. A largely conventional army with repeated bruising encounters with the IDF, although partly redeemed in the 1973 Yom Kippur war. I don't recall much internal use, Egypt relied on its police and security agencies. Played no role in the Libyan revolt.

Jordan - bruised in wars with Israel and in 'Black September' confronted and defeated the PLO - whose Syrian ally made threats to intervene. Little internal use, relying on its pervasive security agencies. Was a regular UN contributor.

Syria - harsh, brutal suppression of Muslim Brotherhood in Homs (1982?), but very little internal use. Again security agencies to the fore. Decades of involvement in the Lebanon, with shifting alliances and practiced urban fighting regularly - some say marred by corruption and more. There are many comments on the main Syria thread.

Lebanon - a small army with a delicate communal balance having once been Christian-dominated, still has problems of loyalty and effectiveness - which appear to have reduced recently. A history though of ineffectiveness reflecting politics, notably in the south (alongside the UN).

Iraq - far more aware SWC audience, so over to you.

Saudi Arabia - the small army is designed for external defence, with the National Guard (SANG) having internal primacy alongside the police and security agencies. IIRC not exactly a stellar performance in the First Gulf War, despite all the $ spent on kit and training. Rarely deployed externally, including the UN.

UAE - supposedly the new Arab "Prussians", although hamstrung by dependence on non-national recruitment. Its SF have a tiny team in Afghanistan and they were reportedly active in Libya, in larger numbers - alongside other SF.

Oman - a small army, with historical experience of COIN in the Dhofar rebellion, now many years ago and no reported internal deployment since then. I don't recall any UN participation (excl. observers).

From a broader perspective most Arab armies are strictly controlled by the government / royal family, despite assumptions of loyalty they remain a potential threat - as Egypt vividly illustrates. Hence the apparent general preference for using the police and security agencies to repress opposition, with preemption first, and the occasional emergency use of the army. 'Black September' is a good case study, the PLO had been present in Jordan since 1947, more so after 1967 and became a "state within a state". Only after many years was the PLO violently ejected, to the Lebanon and later to Tunisia - another story!

From limited knowledge most Arab armies have not fought full-stop. Only a few have genuine 'small wars' let alone COIN experience.

[CrowBat]

If you don't mind me completing David's list:

Morocco - long campaign against Polisario over Western Sahara, after the Spanish left; finally achieved a stalemate by building a fortified desert barrier hundreds of miles long. That conflict is not over, but with a ceasefire IIRC. Long ago their army was highly respected when serving with the UN, although most of the commentary was from French sources.

Except for that quasi-COIN effort against Polisario in the 1980s, Moroccans fought a short 'Sand War' on the border to Algeria, in 1963 (not very successful, but at least 'done'), and against Israel in 1973 (on Syrian and later on Egyptian front). Plus a series of coup attempts in the late 1960s and early 1970s, nearly all of which saw battles with dozens of KIA.

Algeria - a long, brutal COIN campaign, which bubbles along today and rightly their performance is suppression first. It is odd after the brutalities of the anti-French struggle within two decades the state resorted to a 'dirty war'.

Above-mentioned Sand War with Morocco... Regarding the Algerian COIN campaign of the 1990s: eventually, this was highly successful (not least because of all the US help with tracking down cell phones used by various extremists), resulting in extremists being driven out of the country (into Mali, Mauritania and similar places). Small-scale action is still going on, with extremists sporadically managing to surprise security authorities, but most often getting caught already while attempting to infiltrate over the border (is one of reasons why the Algerians and Washington reached a sort of 'gentleman's agreement' the Americans and French not to operate closer than 20km from the Algerian-Malian border).

Tunisia - at one time a regular UN contributor and rarely used internally.

There was some - Libyan-instigated - short COIN campaign, and plenty of tensions with Libya until 2011. In the last two years the Army and Air Force are involved in a low-level COIN campaign against extremists in southern Tunisia.

Libya - during the Gadafy era over-armed and poorly trained. As proved in the Azou Strip (?) border clash with Chad and its French ally (one of the first publicised wars with "technicals") and then their intervention in Libya. If there was a professional cadre I doubt it is involved today, Libya becoming a militia-first state.

Libya occuppied the Aouzou Strip in 1972-1973 without much trouble. Subsequently became involved in supporting various Chadian parties - usually against the party that was controlling N'Djamena. Launched 3-4 invasions of Chad in attempt to support its 'pro-parties', and concluded three of these in actually quite successful fashion. Driven out of Chad in a Franco-US-supported campaign during so-called 'Toyota Wars' of 1986-1988.

Except for Chad, Libyan military also fought a short war with Egypt, in 1977 (suffering a very bitter defeat), and in Uganda against Tansania (during the so-called Kagera War, 1978-1979), suffering another catastrophe. These were kind of 'lessons learned' campaigns for them.

Egypt - fought its own "small war" in the Yemeni civil war in the early 1960's, very similar to the early Soviet campaign in Afghanistan; reliant on air power and allegations of CW use. Royalists supported by the UK privately and Saudi Arabia. A largely conventional army with repeated bruising encounters with the IDF, although partly redeemed in the 1973 Yom Kippur war. I don't recall much internal use, Egypt relied on its police and security agencies. Played no role in the Libyan revolt.

Actually, the list should start with the Palestine War of 1948-1949 and the Sinai War of 1956 (against tripartite invasion by Israel, France and UK). Involved in Yemen (which was literaly 'Egyptian Vietnam') from 1962 until 1968 (including several large and actually quite successful campaigns early on, but barely a stalemate later on). Suffered a catastrophic defeat against Israel in June 1967, then managed a draw in War of Attrition (effectivelly) 1967-1973.
Egyptian military also fought in Nigeria during Biafran War (1967-1970) and participated in the COIN campaign in Sudan (1970). Recovered its military prestige and forced Israelis back to negotiations table in 1973. Involved in a low-scale COIN campaign against Islamists (at home) in the 1990s (this included air strikes by F-4s and F-16s), and meanwhile in the Sinai, but the military actually stubbornly resisted all the US advice to develop a true COIN capability, through the last 15 or so years.

Jordan - bruised in wars with Israel and in 'Black September' confronted and defeated the PLO - whose Syrian ally made threats to intervene. Little internal use, relying on its pervasive security agencies. Was a regular UN contributor.

Similar like above, starting with 1948, thought without 1956, and ending its conflicts with Israel with the June 1967 catastrophe. The Civil War of 1970 was very much a major campaign, involving practically the entire military - including the air force (especially so once Syria invaded Jordan, in autumn 1970) - and it lasted well into 1971. Though, that was no COIN campaign, but a rather classic war (with expectedly high losses for the Jordanian Army, especially when it drove tanks into southern Amman, and infantry into the neighbouring desert...).

Oh, and two brigades of Jordanian military were involved in October 1973 Arab-Israeli War, when they were deployed inside Syria.

During the Iran-Iraq War Jordan run very close cooperation with Iraqi military, drawing plenty of 'up-to-date' lessons, but saw no COIN ops, of course.

Syria - harsh, brutal suppression of Muslim Brotherhood in Homs (1982?), but very little internal use. Again security agencies to the fore. Decades of involvement in the Lebanon, with shifting alliances and practiced urban fighting regularly - some say marred by corruption and more. There are many comments on the main Syria thread.

Went through the similar list of wars like Jordan until 1973, but a much longer list of military coups, several of which resulted in days-long, and often very bloody street fighting (including the one against Egyptian rule, in 1961).

After October 1973 War with Israel, became involved in Lebanon, in 1974, again in 1976 (that was a COIN campaign), again in 1982, and then in 1990 (when Syrian intervention practically ended the Lebanese Civil War). Then, in 1991, one division of Syrian Army was involved in liberation of Kuwait; in 2006, about 200 Syrian officers fougth with the Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Iraq - far more aware SWC audience, so over to you.

Iraqi military participated in the 1948 War in Palestine, then fougth a very long, quasi-COIN campaign against the Kurds, 1962-1970 (which it actually lost) and again 1974-1975 (which it lost again, but primarily due to an Iranian intervention). In between, the Air Force became involved in fighting against Israel in June 1967, and the air force and army in October 1973 War with Israel. Long and bloody war with Iran, 1980-1988, then invasion of Kuwait and subsequent war with US-led coalition, 1990-1991, a 4-months COIN campaign against (Iranian supported) uprisings in southern and northern Iraq, in 1991, and finally 2003...

Very recently (the last two months), the Iraqi Army (supported by air force) is running quite a succesful COIN-campaing agsint the ISIS, partially in Anbar, but foremost in Ninive Province.

Saudi Arabia - the small army is designed for external defence, with the National Guard (SANG) having internal primacy alongside the police and security agencies. IIRC not exactly a stellar performance in the First Gulf War, despite all the $ spent on kit and training. Rarely deployed externally, including the UN.

Saudi Arabia deployed one mechanized brigade into Syria, in October 1973, and this saw at least some minor action against the Israelis. Prior to that, the Army didn't really exist. For most of the 1970s and 1980s the military was 'stored and locked' in its barracks, and what was around was so little that it necessitated deployment of entire brigades of Pakistani Army personnel in order to 'work'. Only the RSAF saw some action during Iran-Iraq War. Essentially, modern day Saudi Army came into being during the autumn 1990, while working up within US-led coalition against Iraq.

The Saudis fought their first (near) independent war - and then very much a COIN campaign - against al-Houtis in Yemen, 2009-2010. Initially suffered extensive losses in ground troops, then reverted to air power and - after nearly four months of bitter fighting - (kind of) 'won'.

Another 'Arab' country (definitely a member of the Arab League) David didn't mention is Sudan. They fought a long and bitter COIN campaign during the Civil War against Southerners from 1960-something until 1975 or so. Then another (against the same opponent) from around 1984-1985 until 2003-2004, when Khartoum had to let the South separate. Plus, the army had a battalion in the Sinai, in June 1967, which fought to the last man against the Israelis.

Since 2003, the Sudanese military is fighting actually a quite successful COIN campaign in Darfur. Although this became notorious for cooperation with various of local militias, attrocities against civilians and for large-scale ethnic cleansing of the opposition, they effectivelly forced all the armed opposition out of the area and into Chad.

('To be continued...')

[CrowBat]

Sudan, continued....

More recently, another COIN campaign is going on in southern part of what is left of Sudan, and - I think it was in summer 2013 - there was a major battle with the Army of South Sudan, which even saw some clashes between (South Sudanese) T-72s and Sudanese T-80s.

Finally: Yemen... Yemen is a long story of almost continuous warfare ever since the Egyptian-supported cup against the Imam, in 1962-1967 (in what was subsequently 'North Yemen'), and insurgency in the then British-held Aden (subsequently 'South Yemen'), which lasted until 1970. With extensive Soviet support (and Egyptians out), North Yemen actually won the COIN campaign against remaining Royalists (primarily Zeidis), in period 1967-1969, forcing them to accept negotiations.

South Yemenis subsequently saw action in Dhofar War in Oman (where they were supporting Marxist insurgents but were defeated by - primarily - a large deployment of Iranian military), through early 1970s, and then during the Ogaden War (Ethiopia-Somalia War of 1977-1978), on Ethiopian side and with Cuban advice, with quite some distinction. After several coup attempts, some of which resulted in days-long street fighting, the two Yemens began uniting - primarily through fighting, which culminated in the war of 1994-1995 that saw intensive conventional warfare lasting nearly a year.

More recently, former dictator Salleh was quasi-fighting al-Qaida (actually, he rather cooperated with them than fought them), and since around 2006 became embroiled in several quasi-COIN campaigns against al-Houtis (Zaidi Sect, formerly 'originators' of North Yemen, meanwhile declared 'takfiris' by the Saudis, because of their supposed cooperation with Iran). All of these ended with major disasters (not only 'defeats'), as a number of Army brigades were completely destroyed, and the air force was losing one fighter-bomber after the other - until Saudis got involved.

Since Salleh is gone, the new government launched quite a successful - and US-supported - COIN campaign against al-Qaida there.