Middle East: new monarchies?

The Arab summit is due to open Saturday in Damascus. 

These occasions are usually poorly attended: often only about half of the 22 heads of state turn up, reflecting the many rivalries that bedevil the Arab world and make a mockery of 'Arab unity'.  Deep divisions over Lebanon -- whose crisis is exemplified by the fact that it does not even have a head of state to attend -- blight this year's affair. 

At least in Lebanon, they are trying, albeit without much success, to elect a president through a reasonably transparent constitutional route.  Many of the Arab states are still ruled by all-powerful monarchies.  Moreover, a growing number of republican regimes, which often have their roots in a 'revolution' which overthrew a traditional dynasty, are unofficially reverting to dynastic type.  There has already been a father-son succession in Damascus; and Syria is quite likely on present form to be followed by Egypt, Libya and Yemen. 

Indeed, an Arab satirist has even coined a term to describe such regimes:  jumrukiya, a portmanteau of jumhuriya (republic) and malikiya (monarchy).  At least, dynastic matters will be one topic on which the heads of state who do make the gathering will be able to share experiences.