Five years ago the whole world saluted the events of the so-called Arab Spring as a harbinger of progress in terms of democratic participation based on a proud claim to agency and justice. What we see is something that would disturbingly fit the definition of a “perfect storm”. Internal and international conflicts intertwine, while sectarianism, tribalism and localism threaten the very existence of several of the region’s nation-states. Disintegration and violent fragmentation seem both contagious and unstoppable.