In the midst of huge strategic and economic upheavals, the leaders of the Arab world appear divided.

Immersed in domestic disputes and bilateral bickering, Arab nations are facing stark choices.

Emerging from a history of colonial domination, the Arab world is now influenced by competing global and regional powers.

The failure of George Bush's policies to transform the greater Middle East through military force has left new threats and new opportunities for this energy rich, conflict-ridden region.

In the new world order, we examine the possibilities of Arabs engaging with the world's superpowers on an equal footing.

But with countries as diverse as Egypt and the Comoros Islands, is the era of pan-Arabism an outdated concept?

On the eve of the Arab League Summit in Doha, Empire asks the questions that have divided generations: How can Arabs improve their poor standing in the world and at the same time, deal collectively with the dramatic regional and global challenges engulfing their countries?