The role of religion in the Militaries of Egypt, Syria, and Jordan

Considerable comparative research exists both on military-state and religion and state relations in the Middle East, but there is little comparative research on the relationship between religion, the state and the military. The article develops a basic typology between regime type and the role of religion in the military and suggests that regime-type is a key variable in explaining the expected role of religion in the militaries as envisioned by the state. The thesis is then tested on the Egyptian, Syrian and Jordanian militaries based on an analysis of official army journals in these respective states. The thesis is only partially upheld due to factors such as ensuring legitimacy and loyalty. Thus, the role of religion is strongly correlated over time with the strength of the Islamic opposition in Egypt.