In Syria, elements of the armed forces of Iran, Turkey and others have been heavily involved alongside myriad rebel groups. Such involvement requires heavy investment and Middle East governments have been spending huge amounts to sustain their armed forces, with the Gulf countries in particular involved in an expensive arms race. Money is not the only criteria for judging the capabilities of a country’s military forces though. Questions remain about the long-term shape of Iraq’s armed forces post-conflict, particularly its Shia-dominated Popular Mobilisation Units (Al Hashd al Shaabi) and the role of Kurdish forces. Greater investment in its military forces is expected in the coming years, helped by support from Saudi Arabia.

Source: Forbes February 26, 2018 19:07 UTC