He takes over a country that is diplomatically isolated, economically battered and socially and politically polarised.

ECONOMIST: Picking up the post-coup pieces

Today, Israel is more diplomatically isolated than it has been at any time in its 63-year history.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Netanyahu's time to choose

He says China used to face similar challenges: China and the U.S. used to be bitter enemies, and China used to be diplomatically isolated and economically decrepit.

CNN: 'The ping heard round the world' revisited

With the entire international community now pointing out that the Taleban threat to Pakistan is dire, Islamabad finds itself diplomatically isolated as it continues to fail to respond.

BBC: Disarray on Pakistan Taleban threat

Because Damascus is diplomatically isolated, and squeezed militarily between Israel and America's forces in Iraq, Mr Assad may have concluded that it would be wise to offer a scapegoat.

ECONOMIST: A rather convenient suicide | The

Improved relations with Turkey, which now include visa-free travel, bring much-needed relief to Syria, isolated diplomatically and economically backward.

ECONOMIST: Turkey and the Middle East

At the same time, it's important that Iran is isolated diplomatically and politically when it's outside of its international obligations.

WHITEHOUSE: Press Briefing

Might, for example, Washington policymakers decide that America could have avoided being quite so isolated diplomatically had it paid more attention to its allies' sensitivities?

ECONOMIST: Bagehot

Isolated diplomatically, Pakistan now faces a choice between continuing its offensive in Kashmir at the risk of provoking a catastrophic war or finding a face-saving way out.

ECONOMIST: A chance for peace in Kashmir? | The