According to a Worldwide Independent Network/Gallup International year-end poll of approximately 67,000 people in 65 countries, people across the world view the United States as the biggest threat to world peace.  24% of respondents listed the United States, while Pakistan came in a distant second place with 8% of the vote. The other top threats were China at 6%,  and Afghanistan, North Korea, Iran and Israel at 5% each.

As one would expect, people in the Middle East and North Africa rated the United States the highest.  However, 13% of Americans polled also felt the U.S. was the biggest threat.

The results aren’t surprising if you think of recent news.  We have the NSA snooping on phone calls, our computers,  and both allies and enemies.  The NSA is supposedly working to build a computer that can crack just about any encryption code.  Then we have U.S. Drones that have killed innocent civilians along with intended targets. As a matter of fact, U.S. Drones killed 253 people in 2013.  And then we have President Obama who is quick to snub allies while appeasing tyrants.

Not exactly the recipe for a warm and cozy reputation.

Despite being viewed by so many as a threat, when asked in another part of the survey, “If there were no barriers to living in any country of the world, which country would you like to live in?” respondents chose the United States most often (at 9%) – even some who listed it as the biggest threat to world peace.  Go figure.