DefenceTalkThe government in Baghdad has hundreds of thousands of soldiers and armed police under its command. But a raft of deep structural problems is crippling the Iraqi army’s ability to fight ISIS militants. In many of Iraq’s northern and western cities, the nation’s army has simply been overrun. In January, the militant group Islamic State […]https://www.defencetalk.com/weak-iraqi-army-no-match-for-isis-insurgents-59906/

DefenceTalkWestern embassies began evacuating staff from Baghdad Monday despite Iraq’s claim it was repelling militants who have captured vast amounts of territory in a lightning offensive that has shaken regional stability. The possibility of direct talks between the US and Iran, foes for decades, has even been broached in a bid to resolve the crisis […]https://www.defencetalk.com/west-evacuates-iraq-staff-as-us-iran-talks-broached-59892/

DefenceTalkWashington vowed Wednesday to boost aid to Iraq and is mulling drone strikes amid fears Iraqi forces are crumbling in face of militants increasingly emboldened since the US withdrawal. Iraqi officials have already privately asked the US to consider sending in drones to root out militants from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-may-send-in-drones-to-iraq-to-battle-militants-59855/

DefenceTalkIsrael and the Palestinians both drew criticism from the White House on Wednesday for tit-for-tat moves that have brought US-sponsored peace talks close to collapse. More than 15 months of shuttle diplomacy by Secretary of State John Kerry were in jeopardy after Israel made a new bid to expand settlements in annexed Arab east Jerusalem […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-criticises-israel-palestinians-for-jeopardising-talks-59245/

DefenceTalkEgyptian military chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi arrived Tuesday in the United Arab Emirates, a strong supporter of his July ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi. Field Marshal Sisi, who is Egypt’s defence minister and deputy premier, traveled to the UAE to attend the closure of joint military exercises there. He was met by UAE deputy […]https://www.defencetalk.com/egypts-sisi-in-uae-for-joint-military-exercises-58987/

DefenceTalkJordan warned Wednesday that it might review a 1994 peace treaty with Israel after Israeli MPs began a debate on allowing Jewish prayers at Jerusalem’s sensitive Al-Aqsa mosque compound. “If Israel wants to violate the peace treaty in this issue, the entire treaty, its articles, details and wording will be put on the table,” Prime […]https://www.defencetalk.com/jordan-warns-of-review-of-peace-deal-with-israel-58897/

DefenceTalkOnce upon a time, Israel was concerned about the possibility of a ground invasion of enemy armies into Israeli territory. The Middle East has since undergone significant change; the battlefield of today and of the future, with which the IDF must contend, is quite different. Consequently, the IDF and the IAF must also change and […]https://www.defencetalk.com/israel-air-force-prepares-for-future-battlefield-50149/

DefenceTalkIsrael and the United States carried out a joint missile test Friday, the defence ministry said, as US Secretary of State John Kerry pushed for a Middle East peace deal. The Israel Missile Defence Organisation and US Missile Defence Agency completed a “successful” launch of the Arrow-3 anti-ballistic missile system over the Mediterranean, an Israeli […]https://www.defencetalk.com/israel-us-carry-out-missile-test-during-kerry-visit-50024/

DefenceTalkArrow III, an upgraded component of the Israeli missile shield, was successfully tested for the second time, the country’s Defense Ministry announced. The kamikaze satellites launched by the system are capable of intercepting missiles in space. A long-range Arrow III interceptor was fired from Palmahim air base, south of Tel Aviv, on Friday morning. It […]https://www.defencetalk.com/israel-successfully-tests-arrow-space-missile-interceptor-50022/

DefenceTalkThe EU has put on hold arms shipments to Egypt, while the US continues to support the Egyptian military. Defense contractors in the US stand to profit. It seemed to be a difficult answer for Barack Obama. The US president appeared to weigh every word when he was asked during a TV interview in August […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-arms-industry-profits-from-aid-funds-to-egypt-49308/