United States Greatest Threat to World Peace in 2013 – Poll

The United States has been voted the biggest threat to world peace in a Gallup poll conducted across 68 countries.

The poll questioned 66,000 people and 24% of them put the US as the "greatest threat to peace in the world today".

Anti-American sentiment emanated mainly from Middle Eastern and North African nations which have experienced US intervention but anti-American feeling also came from allies such as Greece and Turkey.

Even 13% of the American public believed that it was the country most likely to unsettle the global balance of power.

Behind the United States was Pakistan regarded by 8% of those surveyed as the biggest threat, followed by China (6%), and Afghanistan, Iran, Israel and North Korea in joint fourth place all with 5% each.

Latin America's results produced a mixed reaction with Peru, Brazil and Argentina all ranking the US as the most threatening country.

Israel ranked high in the results after it made a series of threats to Iran over their nuclear programme in 2013. Morocco, Lebanon and Iraq all chose Israel as their number one threat.

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 voted the biggest threat to world peace, the United States came out top with 9%, ahead of Canada and Australia at 7%.