Very neat! :up:
And as for Israel etc., I think it's only the obvious - it's not the firepower, it's how you use it (and against what). In Israel's case, you have to consider who they're fighting. Their traditional enemies all rank well below them, with the exception of Egypt - though many would argue that if Israel and Egypt were to have a full-blown war today, it might not end that well for the Israelis. Even Lebanon in 2006 proved more than they could effectively crack. Even then, of course, they've stood up to some pretty overwhelming odds, but try to picture Israel going up against one of the top powers in the list in an all-out prolonged war, and yeah... doesn't look so good, does it.
I think Turkey, Japan and South Korea are the most interesting three in the top 10. People often underestimate just how large and capable those countries' militaries are.
Another observation is about the role of military in the politics of Turkey, Egypt and Pakistan. Their political fortunes seem to come and go, but there's little wonder those three countries seem to flip-flop between military dictatorships and periods when they're pushed out of power but stay firmly in the background. Their military bureaucracies are really deeply ingrained, even despite the massive social instability.
Another observation is the chest-puffing of Iran and North Korea. Look where they are compared to the Ukraine, and look at how well Ukraine is able to deal with with even so much as a threat from a first-rate power, even where they are not isolated internationally. Ouch. Even without involvement of first-rate powers, it's interesting to see just how poorly those two "rogue states" fare against their regional opponents (Japan and South Korea in DPRK's case, Israel and Saudi Arabia and arguably Turkey in Iran's).
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