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The United States is planning to sell AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAMS) to Jordan and AGM-88 High-speed Anti-Radiation Missiles (HARMs) to Egypt, the deals that have made Israel uncomfortable. Israeli attempts to block the sale of AMRAAM to Jordan are deemed to be motivated by politics, whereas its objection to HARM sales to Egypt is to create leverage.

Military analysts claim that the intense battle between Hizbollah and Israeli troops in southern Lebanon has shown that anti-armor missiles and intense guerrilla training could keep event the world's most sophisticated militaries at bay. Arab countries are procuring new tanks to look for lessons to be learned from battles in south Lebanon before they finalize their orders.

The Middle East region is a volatile area because of the escalated terrorist activity, continued instability in Iraq and the delayed talks between West and Iran on its nuclear program. The optimism is prevalent in the region with the successful nationwide elections in Iraq and the revival of peace talks between Palestine and Israel.

The Hezbollah is laying Iranian-built and Syrian-linked fiber optic battle lines in the event of a skirmish with Israel. The step will give strategic command and control to the forces deployed in the northern areas.

Hizbollah appear to be deviating from a resistance movement to an armed militia group following the recent skirmish with government forces. The Lebanese government is monitoring the political situation in the country following clashes with the Hizbollah.

The members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries will create a quick-reaction force with an increased number of service members. It would be based in their respective countries but would come together in the event of an emergency.

A report by the National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) that Iran stopped the development of nuclear weapons in 2003 has eased off tensions in the Middle East region.

Negotiations and joint ventures between local firms in Middle East and overseas foreign arms dealers will benefit repair and overhaul of weapons, and defense related equipment on home ground itself.

A report reveals that as part of a multi-billion dollar deal, Saudi Arabia is supposed to purchase Mi-8 and Mi-17 transport helicopters and Mi-35 attack helicopters from Russia. The deal also includes spares and related services.

Lebanon officials appear worried, as the U.S. has not made available the arms required to assist in defending attacks from the Iran-backed Hizbollah militants. The U.S. feels that supplied arms are fundamental to defeating armed insurgent groups in Hizbollah.

The U.S. sale of arms packs to Saudi Arabia that includes Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs) has caused concern among Gulf countries.

The Hizbollah has restocked its arsenal in the event of having to defend itself against an attack from Israel.

Iran has warned U.S. that if it attacks them, Iran will start a regional war attacking U.S. military installations and strategic targets in Arab Gulf countries allied with U.S., with ballistic missiles. Iran has prepared itself for retaliation anticipating U.S. attack.

Militants easily sneak through the legal and illegal crossing points despite deploying large number of troops and enforcing security measures. Neither the police nor the military can have full control of the borders. Pakistani officials say the U.S. approach must be changed, they should engage the Taliban, pushing for a deal between Taliban and other Afghani groups, as fighting Taliban and fighting al-Qaida are two different issues.

The 600-mile-long water body that separates Iran from the Arabian Peninsula is one of the most strategic waterways in the world, due to its significance in oil transportation. In the context of Tehran's controversial nuclear program, the Arabian Gulf has become more turbulent, thus creating tensions with Iran.

Middle East countries are spending more money and turning to the U.S., European, Russian and other suppliers for front-line systems due to increasing violence in Iraq, the Israeli-occupied Palestinian and Lebanon. Saudi Arabia is planning to buy 72 Typhoon multirole jet fighters worth about 11 billion pounds from the British government.

Airbus has acquired a Saudi Arabia contract for two aerial tankers, by defeating Boeing and gained an upper hand in a Middle East market. The French Ministry of Defense declared that a contract was signed on February 12 2007, however after few hours they released a correction stating that the discussions relating to the contract for the Airbus Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) are proceeding.

Defense experts speculate that Arab countries would be opposed to Iran's acquisition of nuclear capabilities and would most likely develop nuclear arsenals themselves in such an eventuality. Most Middle Eastern countries would push for a peaceful approach to resolve the conflict with Iran, failing which they would have to respond in kind in order to check Iran's rise as a super-power in the region.

The biggest arms deal in the Middle East was an agreement signed in August 2006 to purchase 72 Eurofighter Typhoon combat jets worth $11 billion by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from Britain. Other deals signed during 2006 included a contract worth $400 million for 12 Apache AH-64A helicopters from Boeing by Saudi Arabia, and nine UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters worth $252 million were ordered by Bahrain.

The US, worried that Iran would seek to emulate North Korea's defiant emergence as an atomic power, is offering to provide a so-called security cover to all Arab states willing to support a strategic agenda based on anti-extremism and nonproliferation. A US-backed alliance of moderate Arab forces would assume a more active role in deterring Iran, its Hizbollah proxies and other regional extremist, and since the member states would be protected by security guarantees, they would be less likely to succumb to respective pressures to pursue their own nuclear weapons programs in self-defense.

Israel plans to achieve its objective of getting its soldiers back and disarming Hizbollah without starting a civil war in Lebanon. In spite of denials by the Israeli officials, the war in Lebanon is a war by proxy between Iran and Syria on one side and Israel and the US on the other and without the US political, financial and material support, Israel would not be able to pursue its strategic objectives.

Saudi Arabia is considering its options if Iran develops a nuclear bomb. Abdullah Alotaibi, assistant professor of political science at King Saud University, Riyadh claims that Saudi Arabia has three logical options that is either to build it nuclear bomb or establish a Middle East WMD-free zone or come under the nuclear umbrella of other nuclear powers.

A super fast torpedo and other flashy new weapons were staged by the Iranian leaders at the naval exercise in April 2006. Small boats armed with rockets, machine guns and mines would form the core striking force if the international showdown over Iran's uranium-enrichment leads to open war in the Gulf.

Hamid Mihajarani, a young engineer, pointed proudly in 2006 to a set of huge silver containers under high ceilings crisscrossed with metal pipes which would help convert the processed uranium ore known as yellowcake into other compounds. Muhajarani produced a plastic box of small glass vials of uranium dioxide, uranium fluoride and uranium hexafluoride which he handed to a group of Western scientists and Middle Eastern experts on a tour of the sprawling chemical plant.

The military showdown between Iran and Western countries put the greatest challenge to member states of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), therefore Arab Gulf states are afraid of Iran's growing nuclear capacity and wants to be prepared for it. The US, Britain and France are taking steps against Tehran and applying all options including military to prevent the Islamic Republic of Iran from occupying nuclear weapons.

Damascus, the capital of Syria is confused as to which route to select, that is, the one that involves quick internal reforms and improving relations with the West or the other that leads to a strategic alliance with Iran and would further bring international isolation with a possible showdown with the United States. However, it is observed that Syria seems to be inclining toward stronger ties with Iran and other Islamic groups, which are branded, by the US and the UK as terrorist organizations.

Regional defense expert and security experts stated in March 2006 that Arab should rethink counterterrorism strategies that revolve around acquiring weapons and establishing special forces. Arab governments ought to concentrate more on bolstering intelligence capabilities, rather than rely only on the hard force of the Army to beat the terrorists.

Iran continues to remain the number one consideration for the six members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) when it comes to planning their procurement programs as relations between Iran and its Arab Gulf neighbours continue to deteriorate. Analysts are taken aback at the fast growth of GCC forces and doubts are expressed in some circles about the ability of countries' troops to absorb the new technologies and doctrines.

The red-line Revolutionary Guards would be given a power gain by Iran's new president, but by doing so it could make paramilitary guarantor of an Islamic republic politically unassailed. As per some people, the rise of the Revolutionary Guards could itself incite popular discontent.

Iraq's long-feared civil war might take a serious turn unless ethnic leaders take some drastic steps to prevent it. The deep and bitter cultural differences between the country's major groups, Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds, are the main reasons for the undeclared civil war and it is getting worse as the three groups are grappling for future status and power.

Syrian President Bashar Assad replaced high government officials and the heads of military intelligence in February 2005, which include General Intelligence Directorate (GID), Major General Bahjat Sulayman with Fouad Nassif Khair-Bek, Major General Hisham Ikhtiar with Ali Mamlouk and Major General Hassan Khalil with Asif Shawkat and also introduced bills to reform the country's economy and increase political openness. The main aim of this move was to improve Syria's international relations, pointing to increased efforts to patrol its border with Iraq.

An influx of cash from rising oil prices and demand may boost the spending on military and security programs in Gulf countries. Analysts expect that a large chunk of the extra cash will be used to reinvigorate defense procurement, which has been trimmed in recent years after oil profits declined during the late 1990s.

The U.S. might increase its military training funds for Lebanon so as to strengthen the Beirut government in the wake of Syria's withdrawal. The military aid will start after the general elections in June 2005 and priority will be given to provide the Lebanese Army with new arms and equipment to replace old and obsolete ones.

The Hizbollah Islamic militant organization sent the Israeli officers scurrying to calm the public on November 7, 2004 while they flew the Israeli-made unmanned ariel vehicle (UAV) over the northern Israel for five minutes. The main aim of flying the twin-tailed UAV over Israel was to retaliate for the daily Israeli breaches of Lebanon sovereignty.

Clashes and chaos in 10 Iraqi cities caused by shortsighted policies and mismanagement by the US controlled Coalition Provisional Authority is expected to spread more across the region. The rising toll of Iraqi causalities is having a serious impact on the US appointed Iraqi Governing Council which could likely break up if fighting continued.

New recruits and seasoned veterans of the Iraqi military, police and security forces will now receive a wide range of training from the Jordanian armed forces, government security experts and even private companies. The New Iraqi Army Training Project is funded by the U.S. government and the project will include counterterrorism training in addition to basic boot camp and lectures in human rights, democracy and peacekeeping missions in order to rebuild a strong and united new Iraqi Army.

The author examines United Arab Emirates order for 33 new attack aircraft. Topics include defense spending, foreign military assistance, and defense contract terms.

Some observers fear that a prolonged war in Iraq could undermine the politcal and economic situations of many Arab countries. Those nations that have supported or refrained from condemning the U.S. led offensive could be affected, including Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia,Kuwait and Qatar.

The author examines the beginning of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. Topics include military campaigns, aerial bombing, and war damage.

Decreased long-term arms spending by some Arab countries may occur as a result of the war in Iraq. Neighboring countries of Iraq may feel less threatened and decide to reduce procurement programs; however, some Arab nations consider the region unstable and will continue arms purchases.

The author examines possible military strategies that may be used by U.S. forces in the pending invasion of Iraq. Topics include use of guerilla warfare, strength and numbers of Iraq troops, and military weapons that will be relied upon by U.S. forces.

The author examines U.S. government plans to give Jordan $2 billion in aid. Topics include use of funds for prevention of terrorism, military assistance, and funding of operations by special forces.

This article discusses the rising anti-U.S. attitudes in the Middle East, partly due to President Bush's foreign policy in his effort to combat terrorism. The implication is that his actions are making a bad situation worse. It has certainly undermined pro-U.S. Arab alliances stated Ibrahim Khayat. These sentiments were also expressed by Amjad Haddad and others.

Kuwait, Jordan and Qatar have expresses strong reservations about U.S. proposals to overthrow the leadership of Iraq. There is a growing consensus among Arab officials that Iraq does not pose a serious military threat to its neighbors.

Arab confidence in the United States has further decreased following the Russian invasion of Georgia. The U.S. is already looked upon negatively by countries in the Middle East due to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as the inability to stop Iran's nuclear efforts.

Lebanon following Syria's withdrawal is constantly looking for cheaper or free arms from other countries to help improve its military arsenal. This is in order to rebuild its military force as a peacekeeping and defense force.

Rear Adm. Mohammed Al-Sabab Al-Tenaiji, Commander of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Navy speaks about the different threats like terrorists, pirates, etc and how the UAE Navy is preparing to deal with them. Al-Tenaiji also highlights some of the UAE Navy's procurement plans.

The chief of IranEs exclusive Revolutionary Guards, Gen. Mohammad Ali Jafari warned to close the Strait of Hormuz in case of attack by U.S. or Israeli on the country's nuclear facilities. The experts however believe that it would be too hard and costly and that they will not be allowed to do so as it would be an action against the entire international community and not only United States.

The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty will be coming up for revision in 2010. Britain plans to propose changes to prevent signatories from enriching uranium by supplying it to all signatories itself.

The performance of the King Abdullah II Design and Development Bureau (KADDB) armor industry in the Middle East is evaluated.