Stability seems to be the watchword in the aftermath of Kim Jong-il’s death. Leaders in the United States, across Asia, and even in Europe have been calling for stability on the Korean peninsula. But as nice as stability might be, it is not difficult to imagine things getting very messy very quickly in Northeast Asia. Forthwith, the top five ways things could go wrong in the Hermit Kingdom.

Uncle Sam's ability to directly address teacher distribution warrants skepticism.

If Iran can build a nuclear weapon, then do we really care whether it has? Once the requisite fissile materials and the design for a warhead and the preliminary testing (not necessarily requiring a detonation) have taken place, aren’t the two the same, plus or minus a couple of weeks?

Whether in the halls of academia or broad swaths of America's news media, a watchword of liberal faith is that Democrats have the corner on smarts.

Whatever may have caused the Great Depression, protectionism and trade barriers helped to ensure that it lasted as long as it did.

With Bush at the low point of his presidency, will his attempt to find common ground with Congressional Democrats bear much fruit?

The probable worsening in the external environment that lies ahead means that Mexico does not have the luxury of waiting till after the next presidential election to reinvigorate its reform effort.

The failure to stop proliferation in North Korea sends the wrong message to other countries involved in nuclear activity.