The Arab Spring had a military dimension in both its targets--regimes with a military background--and its outcomes. Where the armed forces acted in their entirety or partially sided with the protesters, regime change succeeded; where they did not, it failed. The somewhat renewed political role of Arab forces has therefore underlined not only their importance, but also the necessity for reform. This monograph focuses on the structural aspects of reform that would benefit the Arab Spring forces; it identifies seven features ...
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The Arab Spring had a military dimension in both its targets--regimes with a military background--and its outcomes. Where the armed forces acted in their entirety or partially sided with the protesters, regime change succeeded; where they did not, it failed. The somewhat renewed political role of Arab forces has therefore underlined not only their importance, but also the necessity for reform. This monograph focuses on the structural aspects of reform that would benefit the Arab Spring forces; it identifies seven features which need to be addressed when attempting Arab military reform in the countries affected by largescale unrest in 2011. These are: an unclear mandate, over-politicization, lack of civilian oversight, a challenging ongoing security situation, limited resources, pockets of paramilitary activity, and, in parts, lack of an institutional perception of the need to reform. It looks at the reasons for these features and formulates possible solutions. Other products pertaining to this topic that may be of interest include: The Saudi-Iranian Rivalry and the Future of Middle East Security can be found at this link: http: //bookstore.gpo.gov/products/sku/008-000-01076-5 Revival of Political Islam in the Aftermath of Arab Uprisings: Implications for the Region and Beyond can be found at this link: http: //bookstore.gpo.gov/products/sku/008-000-01114-1
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