# What is Syria's military defense capability? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 4, 2012, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-syrias-military-defense-capability/627243 "2012-07-04T20:51:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![greenslime1951](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e9bcb4/32.png) [@greenslime1951](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/greenslime1951)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2012, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-syrias-military-defense-capability/627243/1 "2012-07-04T20:51:47Z")
In other words, how much force would it take to a) defeat Syria militarily or b) remove its capability to slaughter its people? The Turkish military? An American carrier task force? The Israelis? Just what would it take, and how many casualties would an attacking force suffer? I’m sure this question has been asked and answered in the world’s situation rooms, but I’m wondering if there’s any public info on how strong Syria’s military really is and what it would take to disarm it. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2012, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-syrias-military-defense-capability/627243/2 "2012-07-04T21:10:20Z")
Start here– > **[Syrian Armed Forces](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syrian_Armed_Forces)** > > The Syrian Armed Forces (Arabic: الْقُوَّاتُ الْمُسَلَّحَةُ الْعَرَبِيَّةُ السُّورِيَّةُ, romanized: al-Quwwāt al-Musallaḥah al-ʿArabīyah as-Sūrīyah) are the military forces of the Syrian Arab Republic. They consist of the Syrian Army, Syrian Air Force, Syrian Navy, Syrian Air Defense Force, and paramilitary forces, such as the National Defence Force. According to the Syrian constitution, the President of Syria is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. > The military is a conscripted force;... > **[1948 Arab–Israeli War](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1948_Arab-Israeli_War)** > >  Israel > Before 26 May 1948: > Yishuv > Paramilitary groups: > After 26 May 1948: Israel Defense Forces > **[Six-Day War](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six-Day_War)** > > 50,000 troops214,000 reserves250–300 combat aircraft800 tanks > Egypt: 240,000Syria, Jordan, and Iraq: 307,000 957 combat aircraft2,504 tanks (mostly Soviet-made)Saudi Arabia: 20,000 (one infantry brigade, one tank company, two artillery batteries, one heavy mortar company, one maintenance and support unit) Lebanon: 2 combat aircraft\[citation needed\] > Egypt: 9,800–15,000 killed or missing4,338 capturedJordan: 696–700 killed2,500 wounded533 captured Syria: 1,000–2,500 killed 367–591 capturedIra... > **[Yom Kippur War](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yom_Kippur_War)** > > Egyptian front > International front > The Yom Kippur War, also known as the Ramadan War, the October War, the 1973 Arab–Israeli War, or the Fourth Arab–Israeli War, was an armed conflict fought from October 6 to 25, 1973 between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria. The majority of combat between the two sides took place in the Sinai Peninsula and the Golan Heights—both of which were occupied by Israel in 1967—with some fighting in African Egypt and northern Israel. Egyp... > **[Syrian occupation of Lebanon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syrian_occupation_of_Lebanon)** > > The Syrian occupation of Lebanon (Arabic: الاحتلال السوري للبنان, French: Occupation syrienne du Liban) began in 1976, during the Lebanese Civil War, and ended on April 30, 2005, after the Cedar Revolution and several demonstrations in which most of the Lebanese people participated, The withdrawal agreement was signed by President Bashar al-Assad and Saad Hariri, son of Rafic Hariri. All of these changes were a result of the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafic Hariri. > In Januar... > **[1982 Lebanon War](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1982_Lebanon_War)** > > 1983 > 1984 > 1985 > **[2011 Syrian Revolution](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Syrian_uprising)** > > Opposition:\[a\] > Government: > No centralized leadership ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2012, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-syrias-military-defense-capability/627243/3 "2012-07-04T21:10:25Z")
Let’s see: Their army, as a whole, is fairly large. Their infantry is decent. Their armored corps is big, but outdated technologically and never that efficient. Their anti-aircraft capabilities are good (they’re the most advanced corps in their military). Their air force is mostly useless. They most likely have a stockpile of chemical weapons and the ability to launch them on rockets. In total, they could probably be taken out by Israel, or by a Gulf War (either one) type expeditionary force. A carrier group would not be enough. Of course, as we know, defeating a country’s military is one thing; occupying it is another.