watch list

The Council on Foreign Relations does an annual survey of its members to see what they think are the biggest problems and threats. Here's the latest report.

Among its findings:

The top preventive priorities for 2014 include spillover from Syria’s civil war and violence in Afghanistan as coalition forces draw down. The survey also identifies continued concerns about terror attacks or cyberattacks on the United States, military strikes against Iran, and internal instability in Pakistan.

Compared to last year’s survey, four potential crises were upgraded to a higher priority status:

- a strengthening of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula
- a severe North Korean crisis
- civil war in Iraq due to rising Sunni-Shia violence
- growing political instability and civil violence in Jordan

Additionally in 2014, potential crises related to Myanmar, Bangladesh, Venezuela, and the Sino-Indian border dispute were added to the priority list.

I don't envy the officials who have to deal with all of there.