It's Frank's Favorite Time of Year

Fund for Peace releases failed states index scores for 2007. http://www.fundforpeace.org/web/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=229&Itemid=366

And how did our favorite region fair? You will be happy to know that they didn't reach number one as the worst failed state; that belongs to Sudan. Here are the numbers though.

Uzbekistan tops our list at 22, and is the only former soviet state to be listed in the "red zone." Red meaning in the same league as Iraq.

Then our beloved countries make a strong showing under "orange alert", meaning WARNING: Don't become Uzbekistan! In the orange alert: Tajikistan is at 39, Kyrgyzstan can go to hell with its revolution because it's at 41, while Turkmenistan is at 43. Moldova is at 48, Belarus is at 51, Bosnia is at 54, Georgia and its revolution are stuck at 58, while Russia has been kind enough to share 61 with Azerbaijan. Serbia takes 66. The big surprises: Kazakhstan is 103, Ukraine is 106, Albania at 111, and then Bulgaria and Croatia end the orange alert at 128 and 127.

Finally, while the rest made it in the moderate zone, it may surprise you that Montenegro made the moderate zone at 136. Seems like ditching Serbia was the way to go.

In any case, looks like we have job security for at least another year...