Q & AAfrica

Global Insider: Arab Air Forces and the Libya No-Fly Zone

The Arab League's decision over the weekend to call for a no-fly zone over Libya is seen as a crucial measure of regional support for such an operation. Some have even argued that a Muslim country must be involved in the mission. In an e-mail interview, Yiftah Shapir, senior research fellow and director of the Military Balance Project at the Institute for National Security Studies, discussed the capabilities of Middle Eastern and North African air forces.

WPR: Which countries in the Middle East and North Africa have significant air forces?

Yiftah Shapir: There are two large air forces in the region, and two more that could be called "considerable." If you consider Turkey as part of the Middle East, that makes yet another.

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