Syria is a heterogeneous, unstable state held together only by brute force.

FORBES: HARMFUL MEDDLING

Germany at that time is sometimes presented as a strictly disciplined state, but its leaders could be as unstable as any politicians under pressure.

ECONOMIST: Lida Baarova

Even if Iraq holds on to its embryonic democracy, it may be settling into a state that resembles Algeria or Colombia unstable, and troubled by internal violence, but secure within its borders, and unthreatened by existential collapse.

NEWYORKER: The General��s Dilemma

But a bigger concern for most Pakistanis is the state of their broken and predatory institutions, which have helped to make Pakistan unstable and prone to extremism.

ECONOMIST: Too much for one man to do

Russia, in fact, said it will not deliver new weapons to Syria as long as the situation in that country is unstable, an official at the body in charge of monitoring Russia's arms trade said Monday, according to state media.

CNN: Annan: Iran has 'role to play' for Syrian peace