Costly weapon purchases do not buy Middle Eastern states self-defense

Evidence

Some other myths have been, if not destroyed, badly damaged. One example is the belief among some Middle Eastern powers that the purchase of costly and sophisticated weaponry would enable them to defend themselves against aggres­ sion and obviate the need for outside help. Another is the remarkably persistent belief, among outside powers, that it is possible to solve problems and attain policy goals in the Middle East, by “friendship” or other arrangement with some regional dictator. — Bernard Lewis, From Babel to Dragomans, 1725

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Drone strikes are justified as self-defense and life-and-cost-saving substitutes for ground war — Albert Bandura, Moral Disengagement: How People Do Harm…, 463; Weapons primarily deter rivals rather than inflict harm in actual fights; Superior weaponry does not guarantee success in a counterforce war — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 2603 (+5 more)
• yield-rescued: below the book’s yield-target cutoff, included anyway for connecting to: Drone strikes are justified as self-defense and life-and-cost-saving substitutes for ground war — Albert Bandura, Moral Disengagement: How People Do Harm…, 463; Weapons primarily deter rivals rather than inflict harm in actual fights; Superior weaponry does not guarantee success in a counterforce war — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 2603 (+5 more)

Broader Connections

• Drone strikes are justified as self-defense and life-and-cost-saving substitutes for ground war #complicates (0.75) — Albert Bandura, Moral Disengagement, 463