2009 Failed States Index: Britain’s security apparatus worse than UAE’s, apparently

by | Jul 3, 2009


Here in the UK, there’s much wringing of hands and gnashing of teeth about the fact that it’s even conceivable that we might lose our triple-A credit rating.

But over at ForeignPolicy.com, the bad news is already here: for it emerges that our “security apparatus” is ranked worse than the United Arab Emirates, which kind of makes you question their methodology given things like this – although on the other hand, now that I think of it…

It also transpires in the full list that Iceland is regarded as more stable than Britain; and that Ireland is even better off, being a member of the coveted “most stable” club (other members: Scandics; Aussies; Kiwis; er – that’s it).  And there I was thinking that Ireland and Iceland had felt the brunt of the credit crunch among OECD countries…

Author

  • Alex Evans

    Alex Evans is founder of Larger Us, which explores how we can use psychology to reduce political tribalism and polarisation, a senior fellow at New York University, and author of The Myth Gap: What Happens When Evidence and Arguments Aren’t Enough? (Penguin, 2017). He is a former Campaign Director of the 50 million member global citizen’s movement Avaaz, special adviser to two UK Cabinet Ministers, climate expert in the UN Secretary-General’s office, and was Research Director for the Business Commission on Sustainable Development. Alex lives with his wife and two children in Yorkshire.

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