Guardians of the Arab state: when militaries intervene in politics, from Iraq to Mauritania
1. Introduction: of kingmakers and game-changers -- 2. The view from within: military reasons -- Institutional capacity: because they can -- Military interests: because they want to -- 3. The company they keep: socio-political reasons -- Civil-military relations undone: because there is nobody else -- Social capital: because they're allowed to -- 4. Models of non-political armies -- The failed force who couldn't: Iraq, Libya, Yemen -- The professional force who won't: Lebanon, Tunisia -- 5. Models of potentially political armies -- The capable force that is checked: Jordan, Syria, Saudi Arabia -- The Jordanian military: from tribal to royal -- The political force which will: Egypt, Algeria -- Conclusion: the four preconditions of coups, and their aftermath