Amid deepening divisions, Arab foreign ministers met in Cairo yesterday to try forge a unified response to the war in Iraq.
On the table was a diplomatic initiative to stop the war through the UN Security Council.
However, the likelihood of a united front became increasingly distant in the pre-meeting manoeuvring. Iraqi Foreign Minister, Mr Naji Sabri, proposed that the ministers condemn the war and take what he called "a true Arab stand" that reflected the opinion of the Arab street.
Kuwait then tabled a counter-proposal condemning Iraq for firing missiles onto its territory. Iraq responded that it would continue to fire missiles.
Nor was the likelihood of Arab unity enhanced when, on Sunday evening, Iraqi Vice President, Mr Taha Yassin Ramadan, criticised other Arab governments for either openly or secretly plotting against Iraq or being too weak to defend it. Iraq has created divisions among the Arabs since it invaded Kuwait during the last Gulf War but the current conflict has accentuated the rifts.
During an Arab summit held earlier this month, attempts to prevent war degenerated into name-calling during a live broadcast and the meeting ended in disarray.
Arabs positions on the war range from the Gulf states that have openly called for Saddam Hussein to step down and are hosting Allied troops, to hardline anti-American countries, such as Syria and Libya, that have condemned the US-led conflict as illegal.
Moderates such as Egypt and Jordan are stuck in the middle, closely allied with the US but unable to prevent it from launching a war that is deeply opposed by its restive populations.
Angry demonstrators in both Amman and Cairo have blamed their governments for failing to do more to end the conflict.