Backing up the argument: Israel's qualitative military edge has declined as Arab and Muslim states have acquired increasingly sophisticated conventional and unconventional arms. Israel's standing army is smaller than those of Egypt, Iraq, Iran and Syria. Even with its reserves, Israel is outmanned by each of the first three. In addition, Israel is likely to have to face a combination of enemies, as it has in each of its previous wars; together, virtually any combination of likely opponents would be superior in manpower, tanks and aircraft. According to the Jaffe Center for Strategic Studies, during the 1990's, the Arab states and Iran imported more than $180 billion worth of the most sophisticated weapons and military infrastructure available from both the Western and Eastern blocs. They continue to spend approximately $30 billion annually on their armed forces. Several of the world's largest arms-importing countries have been Arab nations in a state of war with Israel: Iraq, Syria, Saudi Arabia and Libya. While Israel spends approximately $9 billion on defense, Saudi Arabia alone spends more than $20 billion. In addition to the sheer quantity of arms, these states are also buying and producing increasing numbers of non-conventional weapons. The buildup of chemical and biological weapons, combined with the pursuit of a nuclear capability, makes Israel's strategic position more precarious. ( See background )