Military of Iraq
From Daily Escape
| Military manpower | |
| Availability (males age 18-49) (females age 18-49) | 5,870,640 5,642,073 |
| Fit for military service (males age 18-49) (females age 18-49) | 4,930,074 4,771,105 |
| Reaching military age annually (males age 18-49) (females age 18-49) | 198,518 289,879 |
| Military expenditures | |
| Dollar figure | $56.997 billion |
| Percent of GDP | 15% |
The Military of Iraq - among the region's largest - is comprised of 1,814,800 personnel (1,334,800 active, 480,000 reserve). Although the military's combat capabilities are believed to be satisfactory, its primary role is not providing for national defense, but for bolstering the regime of President Saddam Hussein and repressing his enemies. Advancement is based on patronage and fidelty to Saddam, rather than merit; even so, the top echelons of the Iraqi military, many of them trained at prestigious academies in the Soviet bloc, are said to be highly competent and capable. The bulk of the military's top generals are blood relatives, in-laws, or close friends of the President.
The Iraqi military is comprised of the following branches:
- Army (475,000)
- Navy (5,000)
- Air Force and Air Defense Force (40,000)
- Air Force (30,000)
- Air Defense (10,000)
- Paramilitaries (694,800)
- People's Army (650,000)
- Fedayeen Saddam (40,000)
- Frontier Guard (4,800)
- Republican Guard (120,000)
- Republican Guard (100,000)
- Special Republican Guard (20,000)
Unlike other states in the Komintern Pact, Iraq's military equipment comes from many diverse sources, rather than just the Soviet Union. A fairly large number of its armored vehicles are of Western or Chinese origin; however, the vast majority of it is manufactured in the Soviet Union.
The greatest concentrations of Iraqi forces are deployed near the border with Iran, which Iraq views with deep suspicion and hostility.
