Why Did The Islamic State Succeed In The Beginning?

Militant Islamist fighters take part in a military parade along the streets of northern Raqqa province, June 2014. REUTERS/Stringer

Kenneth M. Pollack, RCB: Why Was ISIS Successful?

The following essay is adapted from 'Armies of Sand: The Past, Present, and Future of Arab Military Effectiveness' by Kenneth M. Pollack, now available from Oxford University Press.

'Armies of Sand: The Past, Present, and Future of Arab Military Effectiveness' explains how the politics, economics, and culture of the modern Arab world has shaped the military power of the Arab states. Overwhelmingly, the impact has been negative, producing the vast tableaux of misfortune that has been Arab military history since 1945 and right up to the present day. It is why Arab armed forces have so consistently underperformed, losing most of their wars despite any number of favorable material factors. It is also why their victories have been rare and typically modest, if not outright Pyrrhic.

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WNU Editor: I agree with this analysis.