Equal number of Americans believe US, Iran pose greatest security threat – poll

A US poll has revealed that 10 percent of Americans view their country as the biggest threat to world peace, while similar numbers singled out Iran, China or North Korea as the most dangerous. One-third of Americans say terrorism is the greatest threat.

In May 2013, Media and Public Opinion (MPO) Research Group asked 501 Americans what they consider the biggest threat to world security. Terrorism topped the poll, with 30 percent of Americans listing it as their greatest concern.

Another 10.3 percent of respondents chose their own county as the number-one threat to security. Others were divided between Iran (11.6 percent), North Korea (10.2 percent) and China (10 percent).

The survey’s margin of error was 4.38 percent. 

Younger Americans were more likely to pick the US as the main threat to global security. For example, 19.7 percent of respondents aged 20-29 chose the US, compared to only 5.8 percent of those over 60.

Despite wide international media coverage and international political debate around the Syrian civil war, only 2.3 percent of respondents said the conflict posed a serious threat. A greater number (6.5 percent) said the Israeli-Palestinian conflict poses the biggest risk to global security.

Environmental disasters (15.3 percent) were mostly chosen by those who also said they support US President Barack Obama. Among those who do not support Obama, only 1.8 percent said environmental disasters are a threat. 

MPO provides analysis of public opinion in the US on various topics, including media, politics, economics and international affairs.