But closing off dialogue with Iran would be a precipitous and dangerous mistake.

They failed to do so, and indeed the precipitous recessions that ensued had the opposite effect.

Kagan may be right in thinking that a precipitous US retreat from East Asia could have dangerous consequences.

It increased the terrorist threat by creating innocent victims, while leading to a precipitous decline in American power and influence.

There is a lesson in Croatia's seemingly precipitous changes for the Balkans and other troubled regions in post communist Europe.

On August 29, the Russian market continued its precipitous decline, however, this time around, there was no sign of panic.

By contrast, the insistence on minimal government and reliance on the market led to precipitous declines in public infrastructure investment, particularly in agriculture.

After all, CEOs experience precipitous income declines when they are kicked out, indicating that they were paid far more than their opportunity cost.

Is it sustained economic decline, high and long term unemployment, poverty, rampant inflation, a precipitous fall in the exchange rate, fiscal deficits, high borrowing costs, and political dysfunction?

But, in the developing world, it is just the opposite a decline in exports, reduced remittances, lower foreign direct investment, and precipitous falls in capital flows have led to economic weakening.

After the bubble bursts, the same contagion fuels a precipitous collapse, as falling prices cause more and more people to exit the market, and to magnify negative stories about the economy.

Largely as a result of a precipitous fall in exports, China is likely to continue to grow, but at a much slower pace than the 11 12 annual growth of recent years.

There appears to be a link between this precipitous drop in the average duration of stock holdings and the phenomenon of the so called ownerless corporation, whereby shareholders have little incentive to impose discipline on management.

China, too, believes that if advocates of regime change do not push North Korea too hard, a strategy can be pursued that is based on slow evolution rather than a precipitous break and a possible violent breakdown.

Some observers, such as the Harvard historian Niall Ferguson, believe that debating the stages of decline may be a waste of time it is a precipitous and unexpected fall that should most concern policy makers and citizens.

China finds itself in a delicate position, pulled in one direction by its desire to avoid a precipitous North Korean collapse, and in the opposite direction by its overriding need to deepen economic relations with the US, Japan, and South Korea.

On the approach path to the monastery, there is a Lakhang (village level monastery) and a temple of Urgyan Tsemo ( U rgyan rTse mo ) which, like the main monastery, is located on a rocky plateau with a precipitous projection of several hundred feet over the valley.

This is from the FBI Uniform Crime Statistics. You can see that there is a fairly low rate of violence in the '50s and the '60s, then it soared upward for several decades, and began a precipitous decline, starting in the 1990s, so that it went back to the level that was last enjoyed in 1960.

While this borrowing binge might end smoothly, as US Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke has speculated, most world financial leaders are rightly worried about a more precipitous realignment that would likely set off a massive dollar depreciation and possibly much worse. Indeed, if policymakers continue to sit on their hands, it is not hard to imagine a sharp global slowdown or even a devastating financial crisis.

Some observers, such as the Harvard historian Niall Ferguson, believe that debating the stages of decline may be a waste of time it is a precipitous and unexpected fall that should most concern policy makers and citizens. Ferguson believes that a doubling of public debt in the coming decade cannot erode US strength on its own, but that it could weaken a long assumed faith in America s ability to weather any crisis.