Published time: January 02, 2014 13:30
The US has been voted as the most significant threat to world peace
in a survey across 68 different countries. Anti-American sentiment
was not only recorded in antagonistic countries, but also in many
allied NATO partners like Turkey and Greece.
A global survey conducted by the Worldwide Independent Network and
Gallup at the end of 2013 revealed strong animosity towards the
US’s role as the world’s policeman. Citizens across over 60 nations
were asked: “Which
country do you think is the greatest threat to peace in the world
today?”
The US topped the
list, with 24 percent of people believing America to be the biggest
danger to peace. Pakistan came second, with 8
percent of the vote and was closely followed by China with 6
percent. Afghanistan, Iran, Israel and North Korea came in joint
fourth place with 5 percent of the vote.
The threat from the US was rated most highly in the Middle East and
North Africa, those areas most recently affected by American
military intervention. Moreover, the survey showed that even
Americans regard their country as a potential threat with 13
percent of them voting the US could disrupt global status quo.
Latin America expressed mixed feelings towards its northerly
neighbor, with Peru, Brazil and Argentina all flagging the US as
the most dangerous country.
After its numerous threats of a strike on Iran, many countries
voted Israel was the biggest threat to prosperity. Morocco, Lebanon
and Iraq all chose Israel as the number one danger to world
peace.
In the survey participants were also asked: “If there
were no barriers to living in any country of the world, which
country would you like to live in?” Despite being the
perceived largest threat to world peace, the US still topped the
tables by a narrow margin of 9 percent.
In general 2013 saw a drop in approval ratings for the Obama
Administration. A poll conducted by the AP-NORC Center for Public
Affairs Research revealed that 50 percent of those asked thought
that the political system in the US needed a “complete
overhaul.”
In addition, 70 percent of Americans believe the government lacks
the ability to make progress on the important problems and issues
facing the country in 2014.”
The survey comes two months after the first government shutdown in
17 years in the US which cost the country an estimated $10
billion.
The American government’s credibility was dealt a blow earlier this
year when President Obama made a call to strike Syria following a
suspected chemical weapons attack by the Syrian government on
civilians. The American public and the international community both
opposed the action.
