The world in 2015, according to the CFR

The Center for Preventive Action of the Council on Foreign Relations has released its survey of action priorities for 2015. 2200 Washington personalities responded to a questionnaire which, rather than outlining a forecast for the coming year, establishes a hierarchy of concerns.

According to this document, Washington is primarily concerned with the following issues:

– 1. Intensification of the war in Iraq because of the Islamic State and tensions between Shiites and Sunnis.
– 2. A deadly massive attack on the U.S. or its allies.
– 3. An extremely disruptive computer attack against the United States.
– 4. A severe North Korean crisis caused by military provocation, internal instability or a nuclear threat.
– 5. A new threat of Israeli bombings against Iran following the breakdown of negotiations with Washington.
– 6. An armed confrontation between China and its neighbors over disputed territories in the South China Sea.
– 7. Deepening of the civil war in Syria due to foreign intervention.
– 8. Surge of the violence and instability in Afghanistan after the withdrawal of NATO troops and the strengthening of the Taliban.

According to the authors of the report, this list does not take future conflicts into account, but those in which the United States is likely to intervene, diplomatically or militarily.