@Mark, I understand where you are coming. I'm not an expert on such matters but I think you should re-read some of the basic points I listed, they contain a pointers that could lead to you to understand the differences. For example and just taking one point of bad governance, one may have the money to go play golf, have a safe haven or gated compound, buy a laptop, modem, air-time, pay rent, buy a house, buy a car etc etc does not mean that all this will exist in the next few years if stable and good governance is missing. On your point of a nation being on the brink of a civil war and pulling back, you may also want to reseach into this point : What makes War Lords, you may just find some very interesting reading. As I said in another thread, politics is not my thing so I listed my basic knowledge and I'll let the experts comment on this thread. Asante. :-)