Another Paradise Lost focus, this time on Somalia 50 years after independence

In addition to Iran in the 1970s vs. Iran today and Afghanistan in the 1950s and 1960s compared to Afghanistan now from Foreign Policy, BBC News today has a focus in a similar vein comparing Somalia at 50 years of age compared to the way it was during the 1950s until the late 1970s when it went to war with Ethiopia and things began to take a turn for the worse.

Well, Iran differs from the other two examples in that pre-Islamic Republic of Iran wasn't ideal and Iran today functions fairly well, all things considered. Certainly not ideal, and the Islamic Revolution overall only managed to make things worse, but Iran is certainly nothing close to the failed states the other two have now become.