The Lebanon crisis, the Palestine-Israel conflict and the bloodshed in Iraq together make for a pessimistic outlook for the Arab League (AL)'s annual summit on March 29-30 in Damascus, Syria.

The months-old Lebanon crisis is the most immediate issue.

The AL has called two ministerial meetings this year to find a solution, with its chief, Amr Mussa, traveling to Lebanon several times to try to break the deadlock.

There is an Arab initiative on the table, but the rival sides remain far apart on how to get it off the ground. The crisis has left Lebanon without a president since November 23.

Arab initiatives on the Palestinian and Iraqi issues have also stalled.

The involvement of foreign powers is one explanation, according to critics who brand the regional group weak.

"The Lebanese crisis has evolved into an international affair with foreign powers" stepping in, former league official Said Kamal said recently, "So the Arab League cannot be blamed for the standstill."

An example of this is the US announcement late last month that it had decided to deploy the USS Cole off the coast of Lebanon because of concerns for the situation in the country and for "regional stability".

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem, however, accused the United States of sending the warship to signal its rejection of an Arab League plan to solve the Lebanese crisis.