What Threats or Conflicts Will Emerge or Escalate in 2017?

Terrorism may pose a significant threat to U.S. national interests, but the time, attention, and resources spent on countering it may also be distracting policymakers from other, more serious, sources of instability in the world. To successfully address threats, U.S. policymakers must first understand which potential contingencies they should focus their time and resources on most directly. After election day, the new administration and the 115th Congress will have little time to decide how they will craft policies to address the sources of instability and conflict that could affect the United States.

To assist policymakers in anticipating and planning for international crises that threaten U.S. national interests, we at the Center for Preventive Action are again conducting our ninth Preventive Priorities Survey (PPS). The annual PPS evaluates ongoing and potential violent conflicts and sources of instability based on the impact they would have on U.S. interests as well as their likelihood of occurring in the coming year. See, and evaluate, the results for 2016 for yourself.