It was not until January that Sheikh Muhammad summoned Dubai's top businessmen and ministers to take stock and plan a recovery.

ECONOMIST: Trouble in the United Arab Emirates

But the democratic dynamic of balancing interests (including those of ambitious Vice President Muhammad Jusuf Kalla) remains top of mind, along with battling the constant specter of corruption.

FORBES: Middle or Muddle?

Even more troubling for Israel, Field-Marshal Muhammad Tantawi, Egypt's top man for the time being, and others in Egypt's interim military government were unavailable to take calls from Israel's prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, until Barack Obama intervened directly with them.

ECONOMIST: Egypt and Israel