Bangladesh, May 21 -- By all accounts, the 34th Arab League Summit held in Baghdad should have been a symbol of unity, a platform to reignite Arab collective strength in the face of mounting internal crises and external transformations. Instead, it was a sobering reminder of the disintegration of Arab political coherence and the widening gap between traditional statecraft and the new forces shaping global power.

To fully grasp the weight of the moment, one must set aside, momentarily, the sheer magnitude of the American presidency – a role with the terrifying potential to end civilizations at the push of a button or send financial markets crashing with the stroke of a pen. More critical, especially for the Arab world, are two funda...