Special reports

Identity crisis

The Arab world

Special reports -

The Middle East is mired in conflict and collapse, but it also has an identity crisis, says Gregg Carlstrom

A misshapen square

Why the Arab world has an identity crisis

The region is mired in conflict and collapse

Backing the neighbouring strongmen

The resistance axis?

Iran scores a pyrrhic victory in its cold war with Saudi Arabia

Its allies are impoverished

Morsi, cancelled

No solution

Across the Arab world, Islamists’ brief stints in power have failed

They have proved out of touch with those they claimed to support

A farewell to arms

The Palestinian cause no longer binds the Arab world

Their struggle against Israel still looms large, but for Arab governments it has outlived its purpose

Talking heads

The Arab League has done little for its members in nearly 70 years

It was among the first post-war multilateral bodies, and one of the least useful

Sisi's reign

Egypt is again under military rule, but Sisi lacks Nasser’s appeal

The military dictatorship is back, stronger than ever but also less ideological

Better to look forward

Staying at home

Most Arab countries now focus on domestic concerns, not unity

But the presence of foreign powers is still dearly felt

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A hundred years of evolution

The Chinese Communist Party

Special reports -

The world’s most powerful political party was founded a century ago. James Miles says it is projecting ever greater confidence, while fortifying itself against collapse