THE ARAB WORLD

This article provides a panoramic overview of the Arab world in the late 1980s, a period of significant transition and challenge. It examines the key political trends across the region, from the ongoing Palestinian Intifada to the end of the Iran-Iraq War and its impact on Gulf security. The study analyzes the state of inter-Arab relations, highlighting the persistent divisions and the limited effectiveness of institutions like the Arab League. The research also touches upon the socio-economic challenges facing many Arab states, including rapid population growth, dependence on oil revenues, and the rise of political Islam as a challenge to existing regimes. The paper argues that the Arab world is at a crossroads, facing a complex set of internal and external pressures that are reshaping its political and strategic landscape. The analysis concludes by reflecting on the prospects for greater unity, stability, and development in the region.

This paper offers a sweeping survey of the state of the Arab world in the late 1980s, a time of considerable turmoil and uncertainty. The political analysis begins with the most pressing issue of the day: the Palestinian Intifada, or uprising, in the West Bank and Gaza. The study examines the significance of this grassroots movement and its impact on the PLO and the broader Arab-Israeli conflict. The article then turns to the Persian Gulf, analyzing the immediate aftermath of the Iran-Iraq War and the new security architecture that was beginning to emerge among the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states. A central theme of the paper is the persistent disunity within the Arab world. It explores the various ideological and political fault lines—between monarchies and republics, secular and Islamist forces, and pro-Western and pro-Soviet states—that have historically undermined collective Arab action. The effectiveness of the Arab League as a unifying institution is critically assessed and found wanting. The paper also touches upon the significant socio-economic pressures building within many Arab societies, such as youth unemployment and the growing appeal of Islamist movements as an alternative to the perceived failures of secular Arab nationalism. The findings paint a picture of a region in flux, grappling with the legacy of past conflicts while facing a new set of demographic, economic, and political challenges that would continue to shape its destiny into the next decade.