Why Arab System Fails to Live Up to Our Expectations
Khalil Al-Anani, Arab News

When Iraq was invaded analysts deplored the lack of cohesion in the official Arab system and bemoaned the inefficacy of the Arab League, which is the strategic arm of this system. Major Arab countries were fiercely admonished for failing to stop the invasion. The late Edward Said described the invasion as a catastrophe on a scale approaching that of 1948.

Israel’s invasion of Lebanon in summer 2006 once again shook the Arab system to the core. There are three reasons for the public disenchantment.

First, the Arab system seemed confused about its priorities and thus failed to come to the help of a member country. Second, Arab inaction encouraged Israel to act with more brutality and impunity. Third, outsiders seemed to decide the course of the conflict according to their agenda, on top of which is the creation of a new Middle East. Some analysts see the crisis of the Arab system as a temporary one related to the changes in the international order following 9/11. Others focus on restructuring the Arab League rather than rethinking the strategy that gave birth to that institution six decades ago.

Interesting analysis of the failure of the Arab League and some suggestions about how it might make itself more relevant.