Part 5/10:
This issue is exacerbated by a tendency for leaders to surround themselves with loyalists from their ethnic or sectarian backgrounds, resulting in a lack of meritocracy within the military ranks. An environment of distrust permeates, preventing effective communication and cooperation among different military units. For example, crucial information that is generally shared openly in Western militaries is often classified or concealed within Arab forces due to mistrust and a fear of coups, leading to inefficiency and disarray.