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Third of Europe sees U.S. as threat to global security

ft.com — A survey carried out in June by Harris Research to be published Monday shows that 32% of respondents in five European countries regard the US as a bigger threat than any other state, including Iran and North Korea combined. Even in the U.S. itself, 35% of Americans 16- to 24-years-old identify America as the chief danger to stability.

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  • Gabnoj, on 10/11/2007, -19/+92Only 32%? I expected the actual figure to be closer to 92% with the current government...
    • zybch, on 10/11/2007, -4/+12Seriously, its a LOT higher than only 32%
      Perhaps only 32% think the US is NOT a threat, that might be more believable!
      • cheesehead, on 10/11/2007, -2/+5I think most Canadians consider the US the greatest threat as well. But our polls like yours are controlled by the handful who control western media corps.
        • mfratt, on 10/11/2007, -7/+1Invade Canada! Lets go to war for maple syrup and kill those Canadian sons o' bitches, eh? Hoo-rah!
    • republicker, on 10/11/2007, -30/+6Im no USA fanboy but i believe beggars cant be choosers. The only reason europe is what it is today was because our grandfathers shot nazis.
      • Chopper3, on 10/11/2007, -7/+30I'm sorry but that is simply a fallacy. Hitler gave up on plans to invade Britain long before the US came late to the game and far far few US servicemen died in Europe than did from any other force fighting in that theatre. It was Russia and their willingness to throw man after man at the Eastern Front that defeated Germany. It's not that Europe didn't appreciate the help that the US put into the European campaign, it very much was, but US involvement was not decisive in overall victory as many Americans like to think and very specifically we wouldn't all be speaking German now if it wasn't for them. Also of note is the fact that the US government, quite rightly, charged the UK and some other European nations for their help, in fact a number of countries still pay the US tens of millions of dollars a year for the assistance, the UK only finished paying this a year or so ago. So as I say, thank you USA but please keep your opinions in context.
        • republicker, on 10/11/2007, -20/+7Dude, if you think the United States did not directly affect the outcome of WW2 then you are a retard.
        • Chopper3, on 10/11/2007, -4/+16That's no what I'm saying, you said "The only reason europe is what it is today was because our grandfathers shot nazis", I'm stated, I thought clearly enough for most, that although US involvement was extremely useful it was not decisive in the overall outcome, i.e. it helped to save lives but would not have affected the fact that German lost the war - that was Russia's involvement.
        • rhysmd, on 10/11/2007, -7/+5Between Lend Lease, offering different fronts against Germany, fighter support for England, and actually fielding and offensive force in the Pacific, I'm not sure anyone can justify saying the US was not decisive in WWII.

          It was an enabler for Russia, and was the only force to turn back the Japanese in a significant fashion. If anything is out of context here, it might be the lack of attention you pay to fighting in the Pacific theater, as well as the massive amount of merchant convoys to Europe.
        • Chopper3, on 10/11/2007, -4/+10All good and valid point if you're talking about the war as a whole, he wasn't and neither am I. He was discussing the European theatre and Germany's ability to fight, it was Russia that won that war I'm afraid, no other nation - and certainly not the USA - made even close to their level of sacrifice and impact.
        • Pixelante, on 10/11/2007, -14/+0Yeah. Tell that to East Europeans. They LOVED the USSR.
          Aw, yes. They didn't.
          How does Gore Vidal's ***** taste like? You ought know.
        • spudnic, on 10/11/2007, -1/+4Britain jumped in straight away to defend another nation and stop a maniac who was committing the worst acts of genocide the planet has ever seen. The USA joined a few years later, only after they were attacked, before which you didn't want to get involved. At the end of the war you nuked two populated cities.
          I really don't see why you're so proud of your country's part in the war.
          The whole 'we saved the world!' attitude? Yeah, that's one of the main reasons a lot of the world doesn't like America.
        • republicker, on 10/11/2007, -2/+2if D-day failed hitler would have won, no matter how many soviets would have died. I believe many historical scholars will agree.
        • yellekc, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2Chopper 3, I hate all the "we saved your asses in WWII, so shut up" comments just as much as you. They are ignorant and do not convey the full story, but to respond with a comment saying the US was not important or decisive in the European theater is woefully inaccurate. We may have been late, but we were a far less interventionist country back then. Even so we helped with supplies and war material.

          Yes, the Soviets threw man after man at the Germans, because thats about all they could do at the time, the great communist revolution had yet to create a strong manufacturing base. The Soviet Union's cold winters were probably more devastating to the Germans anyway. While we are talking about the Soviets contributions to the war effort, guess who supplied them with all their equipment. Come on guess.

          US WWII supplies to the USSR:
          Aircraft 14,795
          Tanks 7,056
          Jeeps 51,503
          Trucks 375,883
          Motorcycles 35,170
          Tractors 8,071
          Guns 8,218
          Machine guns 131,633
          Explosives 345,735 tons
          Building equipment valued $10,910,000
          Railroad freight cars 11,155
          Locomotives 1,981
          Cargo ships 90
          Submarine hunters 105
          Torpedo boats 197
          Ship engines 7,784
          Food supplies 4,478,000 tons
          Machines and equipment $1,078,965,000
          Non-ferrous metals 802,000 tons
          Petroleum products 2,670,000 tons
          Chemicals 842,000 tons
          Cotton 106,893,000 tons
          Leather 49,860 tons
          Tires 3,786,000
          Army boots 15,417,001 pairs

          The US was many times more generous to the UK. In response to your comments on having to pay back tens of millions a year in debt, I bring to you a discussion from your own parliament on July 8, 2002.

          "Lord Campbell of Croy: My Lords, is this payment part of the lend-lease scheme under which the United States supplied munitions, vehicles and many other requirements including food and other provisions that were needed badly by us in the last part of the war?
          Lord McIntosh of Haringey: My Lords, I referred to lend-lease in the context of the generosity of the United States throughout that period. However, the debt that we are talking about now is separate; it was negotiated in December 1945.
          Lord Stoddart of Swindon: My Lords, will the noble Lord remind me as to exactly how much the loan was, and how much we have repaid since then in principal and interest?
          Lord McIntosh of Haringey: My Lords, the loan originally was £1,075 million, of which £244 million is outstanding. The basis of the loan is that interest is paid at 2 per cent. Therefore, we are currently receiving a greater return on our dollar assets than we are paying in interest to pay off the loan. It is a very advantageous loan for us."

          2%, yep we are really raping you guys with that. Did you mention the UK charged the US rent for using UK bases during the war?

          The United State's made these contribution in great part of the special relationship with the UK, one that I sadly feel is being tarnished by recent events. I for one am hopeful that our country's centuries of good-will towards one another will not be erased by one moron's presidency. Feel free to criticize the current administration all you want, most of us intelligent Americans hate them as well, but please, give respect to the contribution and sacrifices the United States made back then.
      • ClayDragon, on 10/11/2007, -0/+11Reminds me of a joke from Germany's late night show star Harald Schmidt: "Without the Americans, Germany would be a Socialist Soviet Republic today. But without the Europeans, Americans would be Indians (the native American people, that is)."
    • sanman, on 10/11/2007, -8/+11Sounds like the US needs to pack up and withdraw from NATO. No sense keeping troops in countries which perceive them as a danger to the world. The Europeans could then live more happily without the US troops which worry them.
      • kazamx, on 10/11/2007, -1/+17I don't think your in Europe for our benefit. American troops are still in Europe as part of a glabal strategy to keep troops scattered all around the world. This means that America can deploy troops and equipment anywhere easily.

        If the US left Europe the only thing that would happen, is alot of protest groups could go home and the local economy would take a bit of a hit as the US soldiers stop spending cash locally. To be honest the economic impact would be small as most American troops spend most of their money in the base on goods shipped from America.
        • sanman, on 10/11/2007, -3/+3I think that the Cold War is over, and that NATO doesn't have a reason to exist anymore. It needs to be folded up, so that the money could be spent on better things. Keeping NATO alive and expanding it will only re-ignite old tensions, just like the new Missile Shield proposal for Europe is doing. NATO is pointless now and has no reason or justification. It's not designed to fight wars in Afghanistan where it doesn't even have any proximity to that region, and NATO was supposed to be a defense organization intended to only protect the home territory of its member states. Now it's just a White Man's posse lacking the political credibility to barge into other countries in other parts of the world. Its performance in Afghanistan has been pathetic, to say the least. The only ones pulling their weight over there besides America, are Canada and Britain. The Germans and other Europeans are refusing to serve in violence-torn areas, which highlights serious concerns about European commitment to NATO undertakings. The organization simply has no credibility anymore, and is a complete waste of time, effort and resources.
      • agarwaengrc, on 10/11/2007, -1/+13Ofcourse they 'd better withdraw the troops!!! You do understand that almost noone wants US troops stationed in europe and the US goverment actually *pressures* or *bribes* local goverments to keep them here don't you? I've read many times in this thread that the Europeans (or anyone for that matter) actually "cry to the US for help" as someone put it whenever something goes wrong... I mean, what ***** do they feed you people?? That you are the liberators, that the rest of the world actually wants the US to intervene in their local politics, that the world expects something from you... how can you believe this *****? Everybody, be it in their bests interests or not, just wants to be left alone !I mean, just switch your position with that of eg Italy or whatever, and then think about it... the only event where countries would actually want help from one another would be a catastrophic event like WWIII.
      • spudnic, on 10/11/2007, -0/+7Who exactly is it you think is going to invade Europe?
        It's not that we see the USA as a direct threat, it's that your country's policies and wars and causing more trouble than they are fixing.
      • tjanson, on 10/11/2007, -0/+4Completely agree with agarwaengrc.

        Do you actually think we want the US to stay in Europe to "protect" us!? We don't want you here - not because we think you're going to invade Europe anytime soon, but (I can only speak for myself though) because we (I) don't want to support your unjustified war of aggression. I live in Germany, and the US bases here are used as fuel stops for American aircrafts. I have no problems with wounded troups (of any side, by the way) being treated, but I don't want to help fuel US bombers that have no purpose but to kill the kind of people your media has stylized as "evil terrorists".

        A second point is that we don't want to be part of the emerging confrontation between the US, who "need" a misile defense system *in Europe*, because of Iran's WMDs (yeah, right - maybe they'd like to have and use WMDs, but they don't and won't anytime soon), and Russia, a country that sees its importance fade as the ruined economy of a former superpower appears somewhere near Somalia in the statistics, and tries to get some media coverage by provoking the US for no particular reason. Do they think that was any good for their reputation?
    • ClayDragon, on 10/11/2007, -0/+6Sympathy for the US government seems significantly higher in the former communist countries (Poland, Hungary, Estonia, etc.), while western Europe is much more skeptical (e.g. France).
      • sanman, on 10/11/2007, -1/+1Yeah, it's also high in Albania too. But the question is what benefits do any of those countries provide back in exchange for US support? Hell, if you gave impoverished Bangladesh or Congo the chance to get NATO aid, they'd jump at the chance too. But what benefit would the US get out of it?
        • ClayDragon, on 10/11/2007, -1/+1A quick answer that comes into my head: loyalty of the government = no (or at least less) terrorist threat. And some countries have natural resources.
    • niczar, on 10/11/2007, -3/+9The title of the digg is wrong, it's not one third of Europeans who think the US is a threat, it's a third who thik the US is the *top* priority, above China, NK, etc.

      You are right to believe that something in the order 90% of Europeans do indeed believe the US to be a threat. Note that it's easy in any society to find 10% of creationists, flat earther, libertarians or functional retards.
      • myeyesarered, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1I live in Europe and I have never met a single creationist or flat earther in my life. The 10% you would find who don't say that the U.S. is not a threat to world peace are most probably old people who have a different picture of the U.S. because of WW2.
    • Amnesia10, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1I would have to agree that the number who regard the US as a threat would be much higher, Though for the US's allies to regard it as a major threat, is a clear sign that the US are doing something incredibly wrong. It is not the American people that get us worried it is who you pick you lead you. Since 2000 the US's reputation has slipped inexorably in Europe.
  • evilish, on 10/11/2007, -17/+40Hmm,

    Has the American administration done anything to actually improve global security recently?
    - Evilish

    • carpespasm, on 10/11/2007, -5/+10the current one? some of the past ones have done plenty of good. as long as you don't count some of the ***** covert ops they've pulled...
    • Fieri, on 10/11/2007, -2/+20Any good the past ones have done in the last 50 years is counterbalanced by the CIA's work in keeping the third world in turmoil.
    • fancypantscz, on 10/11/2007, -9/+6Sure, they have done lots to improve the safety of air travel and many other security related issues. Its just too bad the so called 'war on terror' has so destabilized the Middle East that it has more than offset these benefits.
      • Murdats, on 10/11/2007, -1/+12are you sure they have improved the saftey of air travel, or just increased the inconvinience?
      • Sigurdhsson, on 10/11/2007, -1/+12Increase security, no.
        Increase pointless big-brotherish "security" controls, yes.
    • DrDragun, on 10/11/2007, -2/+27Blame it on the neo-conservative movement. I am a republican, and the classic republican values (minimal government, true capitalism) have been heavily contaminated in the party in the past 20 years with the neo-conservative agenda (interventionist foreign policy, attempt to integrate church and state, bigoted views against any practices deviant from "traditional family values").

      My desire for a true capitalist society and minimum federal government makes me tolerant of such things to a certain point because I do not support a welfare state... however my tolerance is at its end. I think the Bush Administration is the Swan's Song of the Neo-Cons, and a new conservative movement will soon emerge or else myself and the vast majority of the non-bible-belt Republicans will break with the party IMHO. The core Republican beliefs are a Federal Government of minimal responsibility (defense, civil infrastructure, possibly education, and some basic humanitarian laws). However the Neo-Cons which to combine Church and State, breaking the most basic seperation of powers that we have. Someone who can compel you with laws and religeon at the same time is a truly scary power.
      • rationalist, on 10/11/2007, -1/+18I wish you well. Unfortunately, statistically speaking, those who share your views are in a distinct minority among the party rank and file, and an even smaller minority in the party machine. There simply are not enough libertarian Republicans to make a difference. You'd be better off working with civil libertarians on the Democratic side. We have far more in common than divides us, and it is going to take all our efforts to prevent American becoming a theocracy - the religious left will just sit back paralyzed by their inability to squarely face the limitations and flaws inherent in organized religion. They will turn the other cheek as we lose all our freedoms.

        Despite the propaganda you may have been fed, most Democrats do not support a welfare state and are capitalists to the core. Yes, we believe in government as a resource of last resort for the powerless and unfortunate, but by and large the party of John F Kennedy and Bill Clinton is not a socialist party.

        We could use your help countering the stridency of the radical left, but, let's face it - our radical fringe is marginalized and has little power, while your radical fringe has taken over and owns the table you can't even get a seat at.

        Like I said, I wish you luck, but I think you are whistling in the dark if you think that Republicans are turning away from the Religious Right; on the contrary, their hold has never been so complete, in all branches of government and at all levels - national, state, local - of the GOP. Fully 80% of state legislatures in the country are controlled by theocrats and a similar percent of local governments. It's not just the Bible Belt, it is everywhere, from New England to the West Coast.

        Wake up and smell the theocracy, and join together with reasonable people across the spectrum to fight for our common freedoms!
        • sodade, on 10/11/2007, -1/+109/10 - awesome post sir. (-1 for lack of paragraphs)

          "Wake up and smell the theocracy" - I am going to borrow that one for sure...
      • sodade, on 10/11/2007, -4/+8Wow - you just articulated the elephant in the room. Republicans have been swallowing this Neo-Con crap because they "do not support a welfare state."
        Of all the ***** up things in this country, why in the ***** is individual welfare so god-damned important? You realize that welfare is a minuscule amount of money don't you? It is virtually nothing compared to the other ***** our govt spends our money on. You, and your ilk have sold us up the river for ***** pennies.
      • fancypantscz, on 10/11/2007, -1/+12And the fact that the Democrats in congress did so little to stop the rise of the Neo-Cons has alienated me from my former party as well. I don't like limitations on free speech or the right to choose, I have no fear of immigrants in fact i think they stimulate the economy, I could care less about what language people speak, I also think strong government regulation and a big welfare states are absurd. However, I can see the rise of the Neo-Con / Military industrial Complex and their visions of a long war with Islam as the greatest threat to American liberties. Kucinch and Gravel are the only Democrats willing to address this concern. Sadly I fear they will be effectively sidelined in the primary. Perhaps if people like you and I vote our conscious, Ron Paul might actually have a chance at becoming the republican nominee. I will vote for him in the primaries and again for him in the general if he makes it.
      • sanman, on 10/11/2007, -1/+4Well, don't forget the new counterparts to the Neo-Cons. The Neo-Libs are totally and exclusively concerned with expanding NATO and re-igniting the Cold War under the pretext of supporting democracy, even as they glaringly neglect every other part of the world. Look at people like Albright and Brzezinski, who are hell-bent on military muscle-flexing in Europe.
        • bemenaker, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2Yes, we should throw liberman in the ocean
    • EarlOfLade, on 10/11/2007, -4/+23ROFLMAO... Like "true capitalism and minimal government" is resulting in anything but worse conditions for everyone/ It's probably the worst thing you can unleash upon the world.

      What you need, is social democracy, a mix between capitalism and socialism were you take the best from each. Look to the Scandinavian countries for the solution, don't always assume that you and you alone (eg USA) has all the answers, because it's not the case. USA looks more and more like a 3rd world country except for in 2 areas, military and economy. Socially, this country IS a 3rd world country.

      Why are you so afraid of government? If your system is not working (and I do agree it sucks like a Hoover), change the damn system. Look outside you own sandbox, see how it's done in other countries were it works much better and were the government is "from the people, for the people" and not a bunch of corrupt hypocrites in the pocket of big corporations and who don't give a ***** about people. And your ideas is just more of the same *****.

      Unless there is a total revolt in USA and a change to the political system, USA will end up on all statistics around 50-60 in the world, with more people living in poverty or working slave type jobs for ***** payments and without any form of health care, an education system that is great for the rich and crap for the poor, resulting in poor people never being able to get out of poverty. The corporative rule of USA will increase and a few big corporations will run USA through their puppets, the politicians. and the average American will still thump his chest and declare :"USA - #1!!! while the rest of the world is rolling on the floor laughing.
      • sodade, on 10/11/2007, -2/+5no doubt. "Best damn country in the world" my ass. Thankfully, my children are growing up in Norway and not this ***** up country. Hopefully, I'll be allowed to immigrate there when the bottom falls out here...
      • koregaonpark, on 10/11/2007, -2/+2"What you need, is social democracy, a mix between capitalism and socialism were you take the best from each."

        That's exactly what India has. From Wikipedia:

        "The Constitution defines India as a sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic. India has a federal form of government and a bicameral parliament operating under a Westminster-style parliamentary system."

        http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#Government
      • rationalist, on 10/11/2007, -0/+7From the beginning of FDR until the start of Reagan, the US was, essentially a social democracy. Now we have reverted to a McKinley style, turn-of-the-century robber-baronocracy, and, worse, it comes cloaked in the self-righteous garb of theocracy.

        When greed is sacramentalized, look out.
  • ghamal, on 10/11/2007, -30/+32American government IS the terror threat. American politicians and policy makers are incapable of acting in the best interest of the people. The government IS the mafia, and it uses their power to terrorize the citizenry in order to extort/steal an ever increasing amount of our money. And what can we do about it, stop paying taxes?! Tell that to the guys with the guns and the tanks! Look at the Browns - they risk being killed in their own home for not paying income taxes.
    • thcobbs, on 10/11/2007, -18/+8You can emigrate. I'm sure there would be no holding you back since you think the country is going into the *****.
      • Murdats, on 10/11/2007, -2/+9yes but where would he move to?

        america is screwing up the world, its a bit hard to move out of the world
        • myeyesarered, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1the u.s. is not screwing up the world it is screwing up itself and poor countries - you can still go to richer countries
      • walkingdogs, on 10/11/2007, -1/+13Your attitude is one of the problems in this country today. Heaven for bid some of us should have higher expectations for a country that holds itself in such high esteem. We have turned into a pompous ass of do as I say not as I do which is why we have become the target of so much hate and terrorism plots. We feel we have carte blanch to do whatever we feel we want and call it preemptive, but as soon as someone else tries the same tactics, or what ever tactic they choose, we cry foul call it terrorism and try to stop it with force instead of examining the actions and trying to understand what angle they are coming from and trying to deal with it diplomatically. As for us who actually have respect for the rest of the world, we should not be threatened with if you don't like it get out. Differing opinions working together and making compromises is what this country was founded and built on and if you are too close minded to know and accept that go live in North Korea and enjoy conforming.
      • ghamal, on 10/11/2007, -2/+6I've looked into it. South America is an option. New Hampshire is not a bad option either, there is a strong anti-federalist base there. My problem is leaving my family, it would be really hard on them. My parents are old and don't want to move since my dad is sick (they already fled Cuba in the 80s - they don't want more turmoil.) And it would feel like betrayal to leave them. I feel trapped frankly. I've resigned myself to ignoring the news and just concentrating on work. Digg is my Achilles heel, I should stay away as it only gets me angry.
        • fancypantscz, on 10/11/2007, -2/+3I have become a cultural refugee (an American living in Europe) and have never been happier. However, it is true that my family back home is paying the price of my absence and it is starting to eat at me.
    • Fieri, on 10/11/2007, -8/+6The IRS is an unconstitutional THEFT arm of the federal government. Innocent until proven guilty, rememer? Not for the IRS.
      • rationalist, on 10/11/2007, -3/+3Please do not use the Internet. It was created using tax dollars collected by the IRS.
        Oh, and on your way out of the country, do not use the Interstate highway system, also built with tax dollars collected by the IRS.

        And, for heaven's sake, do NOT shake anyone's hand - since you obviously have refused vaccination for basic infectious diseases courtesy of, you guessed it, tax-dollar-funded public health programs, and since you obviously do not avail yourself of the clean water and sewage systems maintained by our tax dollars, you are probably a diseased, filthy *****.

        But do leave. We are better off without people so self-absorbed, selfish and petty that they wish to enjoy all the benefits of belonging to society without accepting any of the responsibilities and shared obligations that go along with them.
        • kuzotz, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1actually there are other taxes that is used to support our infrastructure. Federal Income tax is used only to pay off our debt, and it hasn't been used in any other manner. I mean you forgot sales taxes, and taxes on gas and energy, and property taxes, and many other taxes that actually supports and maintains our infrastructure. State income taxes are legal, but federal income taxes are questionable.
    • jdubhub, on 10/11/2007, -4/+1The government Leviathan needs our blood, sweat, and tears to survive, so even the hint that it's not going to be able to eat is grounds for it throwing a tantrum.
  • KMye, on 10/11/2007, -9/+32I imagine if they'd polled in some more eastern countries like Poland, Russia might have a stronger showing...
    • duniyadnd, on 10/11/2007, -1/+11Whoops, didn't mean to digg you down.. wished they put a feature to undo that.
    • fancypantscz, on 10/11/2007, -0/+7Um, you did RTFA didn't you?

      "But the Pew poll also contrasted unfavourable ratings of the US with much more positive responses in Israel, Poland, Japan, India and parts of Africa and Latin America."
      • mastershane, on 10/11/2007, -8/+1thats because those countries are still so backward they depend on US aid and favorable trade conditions.

        Look at Poland, the basket-case of eastern Europe bought F-16s for its airforce instead of the locally made and superior Eurofighter. It really is that dependent on being in the US goodbooks.
        • g0z3r, on 10/11/2007, -2/+2You have so much contempt for other people that you perceive to be inferior to you, don't you? The real reason why they like the US so much is because they have only recently escaped communism and can much more easily appreciate our form of government. Look up Vaclav Klaus. I think he is a good representation of those in eastern Europe who value democracy much more than we do because they know what communism is like first-hand.
          • rationalist, on 10/11/2007, -1/+6Yes, escaping from communism explains Israel, Japan and India.

            Also because the only alternative to communism is trampling on our civil liberties, illegal spying on US civilians, waging war on false pretenses, slaughtering innocents abroad while refusing to provide adequate health care to our returning veterans, selling the bulk of armaments in the world - in many active conflicts, to *both* sides, decimating food quality controls so the Chinese can poison us - while selling the country to them by borrowing irresponsibly and making them the primary lender to our government.

            Yes, thank goodness we defeated the Commies - so we could invent the eternal "War on Terra" and never have to worry about the military industrial complex running out of reasons to bleed us dry.
        • foopirata, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2Israel is....backward? You may want to revise that.
      • KMye, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2@fancypants

        RTFC, dick. I was talking about Russia's low rating in this poll of 5 countries (UK,Spain,Italy,France,Germany), and not the US's high one.
  • carpespasm, on 10/11/2007, -14/+4i wonder how much of the US populace sees it that way?
    • chicofaraby, on 10/11/2007, -3/+11RTFA
      • g0z3r, on 10/11/2007, -0/+6The answer to his question is not in the article. Maybe you should RTFA. Americans aged 16-24 are hardly representative of the whole population.
  • hornfinger, on 10/11/2007, -42/+13I am sure destroying a third of Europe (if necessary) would be no problem for the US
    • mandarin, on 10/11/2007, -2/+24Thats exactly the kind of thinking they are expecting...
      • KobraKommander, on 10/11/2007, -1/+0I for one wish we could go back to our world policies of the turn of the century and stay out of other countries affairs and only respond to direct military attacks on us.
        We really have no reason to be all over the globe meddling, but I can see the rationale of some of the things we have done like trying to contain nuclear technology in countries who have not had ties with terrorists or governed by psychopathic dictators.
  • thcobbs, on 10/11/2007, -39/+22Because not doing anything about terrorists did wonders one September morning a few years back.
    • tomboy501, on 10/11/2007, -9/+27...and going wildly overboard creates new terrorist breeding grounds, like the one we gave birth to and nurture every day in Iraq
    • duniyadnd, on 10/11/2007, -10/+5Oh please, Clinton already had that talk about him doing what he could about Al Qaeda (see link below). Bush never attacked Iraq for terrorism, it was for WMD.

      http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0609/24/lkl.01.html
    • tehpwnrate, on 10/11/2007, -13/+4Right you are tomboy501. However, I think that this percentage simply reflects that people look only at our mistake in Iraq and not at the grand picture. The US military provides stability and defense across the globe, and without it, you can bet that there would be a lot more problems going on.
      • incandescent, on 10/11/2007, -2/+19The US provides stability across the globe? Try telling that to the relatives of the 1200 people murdered in Iraq in the last month.
        • thcobbs, on 10/11/2007, -5/+3Oh, you mean Iraqi's murdered by Iraqi's?
      • chicofaraby, on 10/11/2007, -2/+13"The US military provides stability and defense across the globe"

        Wow. It's hard to believe anyone actually believes that.
    • agarwaengrc, on 10/11/2007, -4/+6?? You actually think that the attacks happened because of no reason or provocation by the US side?? What, do you think the US as something like lets say switzerland? and tehpwnrate:

      "The US military provides stability and defense across the globe, and without it, you can bet that there would be a lot more problems going on"

      do you really believe that, or are you just trolling? That is the main reason that any terrorist attacks happen anywhere...
    • vertinox, on 10/11/2007, -3/+11Doing nothing? By doing nothing do you mean overthrowing legally elected leaders (operation Ajax), supporting Brutal dictators, arming and training religious fanatics to fight our enemy's for us, and then keeping military bases on foreign soil long after we needed to be there as doing nothing?

      I don't agree that Al Queda reasons for attacking us, but they didn't just wake up one morning and go "Oh let's fly some plane's into a building for no good reason other than we hate freedom!" They did it because of our foreign policy and not because they hate our freedoms. They even said so and even the 9/11 commission said so.

      Wake up... We have been messing around over there for the past 50 years.

      The Irony is that if Iran had been left socialist and Afghan left to the Communists we would have never be dealing with the crap we face today. No theocratic Iran with nukes... No 9/11...
    • fancypantscz, on 10/11/2007, -3/+7So your argument is that there is no way to combat terrorism without threating Europe. If we had worked together with the Europeans we would not have Invaded Iraq when we did and there would be less terrorism than we see now. Face it, we ***** our own ***** up by not stopping 9-11 and then we ***** everyone else ***** up by invading Iraq. We are not a great as we think we are. Perhaps it might be wise to work together with the Europeans.
    • neiltc13, on 10/11/2007, -3/+4Why does everyone get confused between terrorists and governments? Terrorists are individuals acting within a private entity which is not funded by the Government, yet when Americans think about terrorists they automatically think about the country they are from.

      We need another one of those "one September mornings" to prove to the US people once and for all that nothing that their Government has done with its military since 11/9 has made any difference.
      • tehpwnrate, on 10/11/2007, -1/+2Terrorists can be funded by, armed by, and supported by governments and they often are. Also, when the Taliban decided it would protect Al Qaeda and specifically OBL after the 9/11 attacks, they aligned themselves with terrorists who we were trying to capture and kill. Your post is entirely invalid.
        • rationalist, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2And the connection with Iraq is....?
    • tophu, on 10/11/2007, -1/+2The hijackers never would have been able to take those planes, except for the feds helping them by disarming everyone else on them. We need armed flights and unarmed flights, like they used to do with smoking and nonsmoking flights. Which ones do you think would be targeted for hijacking? I know I'd only fly on armed flights.
      • bemenaker, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Don't even need armed flights, just needed to have happen then what will happen now. Now people fight back on planes, people won't just lie there like sheep anymore, which they shouldn't have been doing in the first place. There's 200 of you, there 3 of them, THEY CAN NOT WIN. If the first time someone had tried to highjack a plane, the passengers ganged up on him, and beat the ***** out of him and threw him out of the plane at 10K feet, there never would have been another one.

        Since 9/11, people realize that you can't just ride out a highjacking, people have realized, you have to save your own a$$. Now they do. Stand up and start acting crazy on a plane, and see how many passengers beat the sh1t out of you.
  • funkmachine, on 10/11/2007, -49/+23In related news, 32% of Europeans have been found to be clueless idiots.
    • Pixelante, on 10/11/2007, -23/+5Since when is this news? What have exactly done Euros in the last decades, except whining, sucking up to the USSR and thinking about their precioussss single currency?
    • upsilonh24, on 10/11/2007, -2/+9I love your reaction. A bunch of Europeans are afraid that your country might do stupidities in the likes of attacking Iran, North Korea, and you're thinking: "They are ***** stupid". Just try and think things through man. What if you tried to attack North Korea, for example. I don't think they'd hesitate to launch those little nukes they've been preparing. Maybe they do not have the capability to nuke overseas yet, but I'm sure you see my point.

      Just try and be lucid, just for once.
    • fancypantscz, on 10/11/2007, -5/+16In more important news America is the dumbest, fattest, most debt ridden post industrial country in the world. But at least we make up for it with belligerent aggression.

      The new American motto should be: IT MAY SUCK BUT AT LEAST ITS HUGE!
      • matskolm, on 10/11/2007, -1/+2By the way Funkmachine, if you're using the term "idiot" in the original sense of the word, meaning "outside society" - and society in this case being the U.S. - then I'm happy to be part of the 32% Idiot Europeans.
  • namelessuno, on 10/11/2007, -10/+8the feds are interested in securing their power as well as increasing it. private citizens are but livestock to be raised, fattened, and slaughtered. the feds want to create a police state to keep the cattle as defenseless as possible. it is about security of the state officials not the security of the citizenry.

    history repeats.
  • SolsPolaris, on 10/11/2007, -39/+12A third of Europe is Muslim. No surprise there.
    • Pixelante, on 10/11/2007, -23/+6Not yet. They'll convert as soon as the Muslim rise their voices enough, too. Euros are pant-*****.
      • incandescent, on 10/11/2007, -3/+19Congratulations for reinforcing the stereotype of Americans as ignorant idiots. FWIW, less than 3% of the UK population is Muslim and we have been busy tried to tidy up after failed American military interventions for decades.
      • rationalist, on 10/11/2007, -0/+5Not to mention courageously fighting the Nazis at tremendous cost while the US diddled. I love all these armchair chickenhawks, hiding behind pseudonymous screennames, who refuse to serve their own country while applauding their brothers and sisters going off to die for trumped-up phony wars - but who dare to call other people - whose countries they couldn't even find on a map - "pant-*****". Look up "Nazi" on Wikipedia, since I doubt you even know what World War II was or where it was fought.

        Of course, the way you use "the Muslim" and "Euros" reveal you to be nothing but an ignorant bigot in the first place. It is people like you that make people like me embarrassed to be Americans.
      • Pixelante, on 10/11/2007, -2/+0Who the ***** told you I'm American? I am not. And by the way, I had two uncles and one grandfather who fought in WW2. I know what Nazis are. Ah, and I did military service. Compulsory here. What about you?

    • myeyesarered, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1right- 8 % of Europe is Muslim and most of them live in Russia and Turkey
  • thestorey, on 10/11/2007, -8/+6i dont want him to be the head of the US he is an *****. I wish we could just be lead by some one who gets it done. I dont care if he was the biggest pot head this side of the galaxy. i don't care if he has quirks. just get us a man who can run a country and keep him ***** hands where they should be
    • KobraKommander, on 10/11/2007, -0/+0we had the chance years ago with Ross Perot but he was blackmailed out of the elections during primaries with incriminating info on one of his daughters.
      She was about to be married at the time that came out and instead of ruining her marriage he dropped out the the presidential race. That is a man I respect for putting his family before the most powerful position in the country, maybe the world.
  • jamison18, on 10/11/2007, -7/+18This fact doesn't necessarily mean anything significant. Just last week I was talking with an educated Russian man in Moscow who was upset his country was accepting US foriegn aid becasue he was afraid we would call back the debt and take Moscow and St Petersburg as the 51st and 52nd states. The US is a handy tool for other governemnts to use as a fear factor to keep their people in line with- and you wouldn't beleive how many people bite the propoganda.
    • DangerCollie, on 10/11/2007, -4/+13"you wouldn't beleive how many people bite the propoganda."

      You mean like 60% of those getting their news from Fox still believing that Iraq was involved with 9-11? Is that the propaganda you're talking about?

      We lost the right to snuff at anyone else about propaganda.
    • tomarocco, on 10/11/2007, -3/+4"Just last week I was talking with an educated Russian man in Moscow ..."

      Looks like it's getting to be time to exterminate the intellectuals again.
    • victrola, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1It's a really easy sell to get people to believe absurd made-up statistics about Americans. One of my friends from Canada told me that 50% of all Americans deny evolution. I told him I've never actually met someone who flat-out denied evolution. Yes, I know they exist, you can go to their little meetings and such if you really want to seek them out, but I have never actually come across one by random chance. When I told him this, he said that he had read it in one of his countries most respected newspapers. I'm flabbergasted.
      Is it just to sell newspapers or is your government getting something out if it?
      • kuzotz, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1its actually much less, and they reside in states with weirdos such as Kansas, and a lot of the south, but most of the south supports evolution. The people who deny evolution are from very rural areas, and when they bring that ***** to cities. Intelligent Design gets smacked and everyone continues to teach the Theory of Evolution. So those who flat out deny evolution make up a very small percent of the american population. They just have a very large voice due to the fact that most Americans are apathetic which allow for crazies to get elected, and not represent the people.
  • alexcroox, on 10/11/2007, -12/+7haha says the dumb american. i think the reason they find the US a threat is because of their friendly fire more then anything!!!
  • casey24601, on 10/11/2007, -18/+41"Even in the U.S. itself, 35% of Americans 16- to 24-years-old identify America as the chief danger to stability."

    35% of 16 - 24 year olds most likely own the new Justin Timberlake CD, saw Shrek III the weekend it came out, and do not keep up to date on current events. So what?
    • p0s3r, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1416-24 year olds is the primary demographic here on digg.
    • aikimann, on 10/11/2007, -7/+6Wow, the only way they could get the numbers they were looking for, was to narrow the poll to 16-24 year olds. As a member of that group I'm ashamed to say the vast majority know almost nothing about what's really going on in the world. Either that, or they're simply gung ho anti-Bush, anti-America just because that's the trendy thing to do right now.
    • fancypantscz, on 10/11/2007, -2/+5Or maybe 16-24 year olds use the internet and understand that you need to develop a world view based in a wide varity news sources rather than flipping on the TV news and filling your head with crap. I'm an optimist.

      Only time will tell...

      So what? Maybe we are creating our own enemies by being so threatening and I fail to see how that is in our best interests.
    • yargthepirate, on 10/11/2007, -2/+4And 22% of 16-24 year olds are under 18, can't vote, and so nobody really cares what they think.
      • rhysmd, on 10/11/2007, -1/+1Hopefully they'll turn 18 and vote to get rid of paying for your social security
    • kuzotz, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Generation Y is going to have it harder and Generation X complains about them, but gen y has a stronger work ethic, and yea gen x did get god jobs right out of college. Now gen x is lashing out at gen y. Point being said. Generation Y(todays youth) will pretty much just fall in line. Which is why I'm moving to Europe soon.
  • Blairisloser, on 10/11/2007, -22/+9USA IS A MILITARY CORPORATE FASCIST EMPIRE. FACT. DON'T DIGG IT DOWN JUST BECAUSE YOU HATE THE TRUTH.
    • RhymesWithSauce, on 10/11/2007, -3/+2If we're a fascist empire, how come you can post whatever you want on internet and it's totally unrestricted... show me a citizen of another fascist nation posting here.
      • Blairisloser, on 10/11/2007, -3/+2You don't understand what fascism means, do you? Fascism is the merging of corporations and government. Thats what you have in America.
        • RhymesWithSauce, on 10/11/2007, -3/+2Or it's a governmental system led by a single dictator with absolute power. In this country... I can start my own business, work where I want to, go wherever I want to, say whatever I want, practice whatever religion I prefer, walk around on the streets at 3 AM, etc... I prefer this to your overcrowded state with cameras around every street corner and a load of Muslims. Sorry, redcoat, if you recall we were the ones who made ourselves free, it seems you haven't done the same.
        • Blairisloser, on 10/11/2007, -2/+2You are really stupid. Thats OK though - you are an American! Stupidity is worshiped there!
    • upsilonh24, on 10/11/2007, -1/+7No, I digged you down because you used all caps.
    • yargthepirate, on 10/11/2007, -1/+2Just a hint for the future - if you feel it's necessary to ask people not to digg you down......... you're going to get dugg down.
  • Fieri, on 10/11/2007, -6/+9And this number will rise much higher while we allow an accountable group of tyrants to build a corporate military empire without declaring war.
  • mikefitz2, on 10/11/2007, -26/+13Uhh yeah. Have you ever seen the "news" in Europe? It's more biased then the anti-American news we have here. Combine that with the smug European attitude and WTF do you expect?
  • jason469, on 10/11/2007, -16/+5Since when does a 16 year-old's opinion count? what is the voting age in those countries? get a job, graduate, pay car insurance, rent, college bills, grow some facial hair, and then come talk to me about how you feel about U.S. being a "threat".
    • rauz, on 10/11/2007, -0/+8What college bills?
    • macweirdo42, on 10/11/2007, -1/+7Wait a minute, I would think that the more established you are in the world, the more you would be afraid of cowboy diplomacy costing you everything you've worked so hard for. Sure as hell worries me. I mean, here I am, I've worked hard to get to where I am, and I'm just terrified that I'm gonna get drafted to fight some stupid war that we shouldn't be involved in. Boy oh boy, do I miss the days of fiscally responsible, isolationist conservatives.
    • CartoonAl, on 10/11/2007, -3/+5Okay, I've got a job. A good one. I graduated with a 2:1. Don't pay car insurance because I drive a company car. Paid my own way through University. Grown a beard, shaved it off, grown a goaty, shaved it off, grown a beard again, shaved it off again.

      Now, I'm talking to you about the US being a threat - Mainly through damn arrogance, as your dumb post shows quite clearly
      • yargthepirate, on 10/11/2007, -3/+1Since "2:1" doesn't mean anything, I guess you're trying to mislead people into thinking you're far more intelligent than you really are. Of course, you could just not have gone to high school yet, in which case you're a liar. In the event that the colon is supposed to be a period, and you had a 2.1, you're just stupid.

        And it's a goatee.
        • CartoonAl, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1funnily enough, my degree definitely states '2:1'. My yearbook states '2:1'.

          If your going to be some type of pathetic grammar nazi, at least get it right.
  • chicofaraby, on 10/11/2007, -16/+53Neither North Korea, Iran or Russia have illegally invaded another country for no good reason. The USA has.
    • mikefitz2, on 10/11/2007, -14/+6Well sure. It's easier to slaughter your own people rather than send your men overseas to liberate a dictatorship.
      • chicofaraby, on 10/11/2007, -1/+11How is a nation occupied by foreign troops "liberated" exactly?
        • rhysmd, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Despite the dubious reasons for attacking, wouldn't you agree there is some obligation to establish order once the government has been abolished?
      • macweirdo42, on 10/11/2007, -0/+10Much more responsible, too. If you're gonna kill people, kill your own, don't go bothering other countries who weren't doing anything to you. Yup, we sure liberated the hell out of those Iraqis.
    • incandescent, on 10/11/2007, -4/+19I'm afraid Russia's genocidal campaign in Chechnya, it's invasion of Afghanistan and its constant meddling in former Soviet states says otherwise...
      • Nateon, on 10/11/2007, -1/+5Exactly, have we forgotten Russia in Afghanistan? Has Rambo III taught us nothing?
        • kazamx, on 10/11/2007, -0/+5That the Taliban are the good guys, right. Rambo was helping those poor guys out in the film.
      • chicofaraby, on 10/11/2007, -1/+4Was the Russian invasion of Afghanistan 28 years ago worse than the US invasion of Afghanistan 5 years ago?
        • CartoonAl, on 10/11/2007, -1/+4Not according to the average Afghani, I'll bet
        • fancypantscz, on 10/11/2007, -1/+2yes... The Russians were the bad guys and we are the good guys. Duh...
          No seriously, our soldiers are there with good intentions and are supported by the international community. I don't think we can say that about the Russian occupation.
          • CartoonAl, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Um, the Russians were asked by the Afghan government (People’s Democratic party of Afghanistan) to help in a civil war against an Islamist uprising. That gives them as much right, if not more, I would think!
    • orlyfactor, on 10/11/2007, -5/+6So what was the "good reason" that Russia went into Afghanistan? Hmm. Elaborate, mr fitz.
      • jerryparid, on 10/11/2007, -1/+6Please go check a history book; let me quote wikipedia for you; "Soviet war in Afghanistan was a nine-year conflict involving Soviet forces supporting Afghanistan's Marxist People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA) government against the Mujahideen insurgents that were fighting to overthrow Communist rule." It was a friendly effort to help a fellow communist government against "radical rebels."
    • yargthepirate, on 10/11/2007, -2/+3When the legislative branch of your government overwhelmingly votes in favor of your military action, it's not illegal.
      • rhysmd, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Didn't the attack happen prior to congressional approval? And I'm not sure that American should be deciding if going to war is legal or not, see, that involves more than one country...
      • CartoonAl, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1um... I think you'll find there is something known as 'International Law'. The important bit it the 'Inter'...
    • Ellipson, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2Not only Russia, but remember that thing called the Korean War?
    • ogluvsyg, on 10/11/2007, -0/+0Bonehead! you obviously have no knowledge of history.
    • blizzardice, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Didn't Iran have that little conflict with Iraq also. HMM I think it was around the same time we sold weapons to Iraq to fight them. Hmm I wonder if thats the wmds we were looking for.
      • dcoxen, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Iraq invaded Iran. Iran never invaded Iraq.
  • Pixelante, on 10/11/2007, -16/+3At least this poll made the lines. Couple of years back, a similar poll that showed the majority of Europeans to be rabidly anti-semitic and harboring hatred towards Jews was conveniently buried by the European commission. Unfortunately for them, it leaked out.

    Luckily, hating the US is safer. But you know, Nazi once, Nazi forever. Watch Europe closely, they might need another slap soon enough. One that makes them cry.

    • incandescent, on 10/11/2007, -1/+5Yeah, that must be why millions of Jews choose to live in Europe.
      • Pixelante, on 10/11/2007, -2/+0Only 2 millions Jews live in Europe. If you count Russia and Ukraine too, of course. And they don't "choose", they were born there. There were many more before, but you saw fit to kill them, along with other populations that did not fit into your idea of Übermensch.
      • Donwangugi, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Could a been a couple million more!!!!!
      • REBELinBLUE, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2Yes "we" saw fit to kill them, not the Nazis of years past. Blaming the people in Europe today for what the Nazi regime did is ridiculous, you don't hear me calling you a slave trading racist bigot because of what people did in the US do you.

        Millions of people died, both European and American to stop those bastards, so how dare you lump the whole of Europe in with the Nazis.

        I wish you lot would stop using the word "hate", disagreeing with your policies does not mean people hate you.
    • Alpione, on 10/11/2007, -9/+3But every time Europe gets slapped they run crying to the US for help... We end up bailing them out because they can't defend themselves... Freakin' ingrates...
    • CartoonAl, on 10/11/2007, -1/+4You haven't a clue, have you?

      We're not anti-semitic, we just refuse to take their side in everything like you lot.

      And just TRY to slap us, dickwad. Just ***** TRY...
      • Pixelante, on 10/11/2007, -4/+1Slap? The US could ***** on Europe, and Europe couldn't do anything about it. Couple of missiles and the brave Euros would be screaming and begging for immediate surrender. You're not Russians, you're not Iraqis, you're not Serbs or Vietnamese. You are not used to hardships. You would all be crying and hollering only to get back your precioussss DSL connection or cell phone.

        Ah, I forgot: do you masturbate to pictures of Der Führer, Nazi boy?
        • CartoonAl, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3Not used to hardship? This from a country that's only been attacked on it's own soil twice?

          And calling me a nazi for not giving unconditional support to Israel?

          Like I said, not a clue
        • Donwangugi, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1We only been attacked on our soil twice because we bitch slap everyone who looks at our *****. I mean seriously did you just say try? I mean we learned our mistake from iraq, we destroyed one of the largest armies in two weeks. We won't occupy you, we'll salt your soil and leave...like Romans. We do not even need to invade, half our bases are on your land! LOL! But seriously I like Europe been there twice nice place...
    • fancypantscz, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2Nationalism in on the rise in Europe but it is nothing in comparison to the simply absurd doctrine of preemption that we in the US have adopted.
  • p0s3r, on 10/11/2007, -22/+10A third of Euroland is fanatical Muslims. Enjoy your islamic overlords, Euroweenies.
    • incandescent, on 10/11/2007, -2/+7That is complete and utter *****. As already posted, less than 3% of the UK population is Muslim.
    • REBELinBLUE, on 10/11/2007, -1/+6I suggest you do some research. The percentage of Muslims in Europe ranges from 0.01% in Ireland to 60.06% in Bosnia Herzegovenia, the average per country is about 2-3%. The European population is about 731 million, with 50 million Muslims, which works out at about 7%, far far lower than 1/3rd .

      • REBELinBLUE, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3oops, how did I manage to leave out Turkey, which is near enough 100% what with it being a Muslim country.
        • incandescent, on 10/11/2007, -0/+0But only a tiny part of Turkey is in Europe, and Turkey is not a member of the European Union.
        • REBELinBLUE, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1true, but I thought if I didn't mention it someone would point it out as a flaw with my statistics ;)
    • loves2spooge, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1100% of your face is retarded
    • agarwaengrc, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam_in_Western_Europe
    • stevenvh, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1OK. Buried, reported and blocked. Sometimes a real useful job only takes a minute.
  • mseneschal, on 10/11/2007, -7/+9They only polled 16- to 24-year old's? As far as I'm concerned this is a non-survey. Anyway, these types of surveys are usually divided 50/50…. 33/66 doesn't say anything BAD about America (which is the tone of the survey)... but who knows... this poll is through the eyes of 16 to 24 year olds.
    • spoonmaniac, on 10/11/2007, -1/+4RTFA.
      That's not what it says.
      They only point out a significant statistic involving 16-24 year olds in the US.
      This doesn't mean that's all they asked. in fact it doesn't indicate about age range in the sample at all.
  • daxsymbiont, on 10/11/2007, -1/+2damn right!
  • Blairisloser, on 10/11/2007, -12/+2Hi! I am an American. I foam at the mouth when I think about blood and guts, and my president gives me a raging hardon. Also Ted Bundy is my personal hero. Thats all I have to say. Thanks for listening.
    • P5ycHo, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1No thanks, you were very entertaining & confirmed the article precisely.
    • KobraKommander, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1So you're telling us you get an erection thinking of a 50 something year old man? you should consider working in an old folks home man, you would have a ball if you're into geriatric erotica...
  • liveinabin, on 10/11/2007, -6/+17Well, the US does tend to just go around beating hornet's nests. I think this is actually quite a conservative estimate.
    I mean, heck I know we were technically in a war, but there's only one nation on earth that's actually USED nuclear weapons....twice. That kinda sticks.
    • RhymesWithSauce, on 10/11/2007, -4/+3http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_war_crimes

      I'd rather be vaporized by a nuclear weapon than be subjected to what the Japenese military did.
    • bernieg1, on 10/11/2007, -2/+3Do you know why no nation has ever used nuclear weapons against another? Because the US actually used nuclear weapons against an enemy.
    • kazamx, on 10/11/2007, -1/+1Well it says that 35% see the Americans as the BIGGEST threat. I would bet a large % also see America as a BIG threat, but not quite as big as N. Korea for example.
  • Catch_ME, on 10/11/2007, -9/+4I do believe that our government is one of the most unfair and corrupt governments on the planet. But it is also one of the best system of governments out there. But the US doesn't update its constitution very often and politicians move around it to get what they want and stuff. Being a lobbiest congress and stuff. But recently what has gone on with bush is that he has ruined the reputation of our country. Sometimes I'm very embarest for my country.

    Its unfair that the US doesn't let many other countries develop nuclear weapons and calls it a threat when the United States itself was the only country in history to use a nuclear weapon against another country. The US tested 3 times more nukes in the atmosphere than Russia. The US has enough nukes to destroy the world 3 times. The entire inventory of nuclear weapons in the world can destroy this planet 5 times.

    The US has weapons beyond anyone's imagination.

    The US can test them, on iraq. Or the US can train soldiers on new weapons every so often. I don't know.
    • EarlOfLade, on 10/11/2007, -1/+3I'm sorry, but the US system is one of the WORST systems.

      Only an American would claim it's the best or one of the best. It's horrible.It's a system designed for status quo, for corruption and to keep the power in the hands of a few, it' allows corporations to have a greater influence over the government's decisions than the people has.
      There is no way to get the current administration thrown out and a new election issued. In order to run for office, you have to be extremely wealthy, willing to become corrupt and receive funds from corporations.
      Running for president in 08 will probably cost at least half a billion dollars. Almost all your politicians are lawyers and the result is devastating.

      • KobraKommander, on 10/11/2007, -1/+0no theres where your wrong, this system of government was fine until the mid 1900's when we were still somewhat neutral and the costitution was still somewhat un touched. now we have a festering boil of a government which needs some medical attention to get back on track. Thomas Jefferson said in order for a democracy to work the government needs to be cleaned out every 200 years or so to dislodge the corruption that inevitably forms over time.
    • EarlOfLade, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2
  • ChayD, on 10/11/2007, -6/+15Well, it seems that the US' plan to alienate itself from the rest of the planet seems to be working, then.
    • Donwangugi, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Thats how we use to roll. Isolationism!
  • jdubhub, on 10/11/2007, -6/+2How about a third of Americans view President Bush as a threat to American Security?
  • tekrat, on 10/11/2007, -18/+8And thats almost the same portion of their popuplation that are considered radical Muslim.
  • weebit, on 10/11/2007, -6/+8Makes sense to me. As ABCNews.com reported, U.S. law enforcement officials received intelligence reports two weeks ago warning of terror attacks in Glasgow and Prague, the Czech Republic, against "airport infrastructure and aircraft."

    The warnings apparently never reached officials in Scotland, who said this weekend they had received "no advance intelligence" that Glasgow might be a target.

    So out of all the Countries that are trying to curb terror the USA still doesn't have their chit together enough in order to share with other countries threats, etc against them. So this is clearly a threat to global security.
  • snoopdogg, on 10/11/2007, -2/+7i hate polls
  • potp, on 10/11/2007, -8/+13Americaaaaaaaaaaaaaa ***** Yheaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!
  • mstoneburner, on 10/11/2007, -11/+10What? 35% of 16-24 year olds don't know ***** about geopolitics and have jumped on board the hate-America bandwagon? This is supposed to be shocking?
    • psbpv3o, on 10/11/2007, -5/+5You are aware that we are at war with another country for no good reason, right? That we have killed thousands of innocent people and opened up a haven for terrorism in the middle east, right? Well yeah, I think we deserve the criticism.
      • mstoneburner, on 10/11/2007, -4/+3Just keep hitting your talking points little sheep.
      • saigumi, on 10/11/2007, -1/+2"opened up the middle east as a haven of terrorism".... wow... You must not read anything in the last 40 years. But that is ok, the middle east still blames us for a series of wars they stared a thousand years ago and before the USA even existed.
  • bilbus, on 10/11/2007, -15/+5ya lets just surrender so we don't offend the Euros and Muslims. Because that what really matters.
    • Blairisloser, on 10/11/2007, -2/+9Shut up and drink your latte, piggy American. Leave real thinking and analysis to citizens of a country that has a functioning education system.
      • huszar02, on 10/11/2007, -4/+1You mean from a part of the world that has the greatest legacy of violence in history and is part of the (supposed) root cause of Islamic unrest? Yeah, real smart people you guys are.
  • Stryder81, on 10/11/2007, -6/+13This is surprising? The whole world ( as politicians know very well ) Despises us because we go into countries, start wars, plant fanatical leaders, assassinate people, all for our own benefit and interest. This has nothing to do with " Islamic Fundamentalists " you ignorant morons who keep embedding that notion into your own head. Look up Zionism and see the real deal of why people act the way they do before you throw words around of who is a terrorist and who isn't.

    How stupid that the average American will paint a picture of Bush being compared with Hitler when Hitler was against what we've become. A Fascist country. If we were to compare ourselves with anyone, We could be compared to the old Russia with Stalin.

    Right now look who's in charge, a bunch of Corporate hillbilly's backed by the Federal Reserve that enforces laws written by " AIPAC "

    God forbid but if someone better doesn't come into power soon, we will have a war within our own country, forget about others.
    • RhymesWithSauce, on 10/11/2007, -6/+3You've been subject to some sort of propoganda which has created your blind hatred for Jews... just like Islamic extremists. Honestly, it's not the Jew's fault you're substandard and they are more successful than you.
      • kazamx, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3Each religion has its nut jobs. If you listen to some of the Authodox Jews, theose guys are messed up. If you listen to the Fundamentalist Muslims, they are messed up. If you listen to the Fundamentalist Christians who are praying for WW3 because its all part of the second coming of Christ, they are messed up. ***** George Bush says god speaks directly to him.

        In each case its a small but LOUD % of the total population. You would find that the majority of people in each case couldn't give a ***** as long as everyone leaves them alone.
        • Stryder81, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2Exactly Kaz. Rhymes, This is the problem with people such as yourself. First, I never said " JEWS " I said Zionism, Just like the leader of many Muslim nations do, but then the media likes to never ever say the Zionism word but instead replace it with Jews & Israel. That's the smoke screen people like you throw up to make everyone else stupid...

          And who the ***** are you to tell me my living is substandard. Maybe if i did their tatic of puppeting people and robbing them blind to benefit myself, then maybe I'd have my name on skyscrapers as well.

          And you say that isn't the reason Europe hates us? Do your homework. Zionist Jews are exiled from almost all of Europe because of this. They use proxies ( the U.S. is their proxy ) to start problems and hide behind us, let it play out then whoever is the victor they will side with. Bitch move my friend. Hitler knew what he was doing, he saw it beginning in Germany, that is why things went the way they did. Don't even get me started.

    • matskolm, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Hm. It seems that you yourself has a hidden agenda. This has nothing to do with either Zionism or islamism. The biggest reason Europeans in general (not only 20-something people) sees the US as a bigger threat than let's say Iran, is Americas moronically propaganda-machinery, backed up with people in power who wouldn't hesitate dropping dirty bombs in Iraq or elsewhere as long as it keeps the American public's focus away from national health-disasters and economical crisis.
  • IslandDog, on 10/11/2007, -12/+14"Americans 16- to 24-years-old identify America as the chief danger to stability."

    LOL. Yeah, ignorant youngsters know about global security. This is the age group where they browse left-wing websites and think piracy is not an issue.
    • kazamx, on 10/11/2007, -1/+4Interesting however that they said the same thing about people who thought the Vietnam war was wrong. Seems that just because your young, doesn't mean your wrong
    • macweirdo42, on 10/11/2007, -1/+3Yeah, it's not as if you can actually argue that America is not a threat to global security. Best just to divert the issue and focus on the age of the people saying it, right? Fact of the matter is, our foreign policy is pissing all the wrong people off. No, I'm not saying that I agree/support their ideologies, I'm not being anti-American here, I'm plainly saying that we shouldn't be rushing off to start wars with every country we don't like. So long as we keep that up, we can never be safe.
    • zebbie, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2Yeah cmon - America wants to build an anti ballistic missle system so they can stop M.A.D being a realistic defence - if starting a new ***** arms race isnt a threat to global stability I dont know what is.

  • AngryTampon, on 10/11/2007, -3/+1awwww c'mon guys can't we all just get along?
  • Murdats, on 10/11/2007, -4/+7god with comments like these is it any wonder that americans are feared?

    I mean come on, you believe that anyone who believes america is a danger is a radical extremist musslim terrorist islamofaciast?
    list all the conflicts america has had direct involvement in in the last 100 years, compare that to europe. then ask yourself why people view america as a threat
    • orlyfactor, on 10/11/2007, -6/+2Here's a dictionary and the "spell check" key. There ya go! Happy posting.
      • huszar02, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3Great reply. Attack the messenger, not the message, so you don't have to exercise some critical thinking.
      • Murdats, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3exactly huszar.

        just because I couldnt be bothered clicking spell check, that means my post was an incoherent babbling?
    • saigumi, on 10/11/2007, -1/+2I'm not sure what point you are getting at. Europe on a whole in the last 100 years have been in more embroiled and bloodier wars with heinously more civilian casualties.

      You can look up these two big ones called World War 1 and World War 2.
      • Murdats, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2right, thats 2 down.
        care to name some more.
        also it wasnt just europe involved in those, its called a world war for a reason
    • victrola, on 10/11/2007, -1/+1Look at how many conflicts America is criticized for NOT getting involved in.
  • ckneifl, on 10/11/2007, -1/+2Reviewing the last six years, this is, an expected statistic. Our policies seem unpredictable in some instances, and we have a leader that can barely stumble his way through speeches. George W. Bush does not add confidence or validity to American causes abroad. That said, what personally bothers me about America is the good that we could do (both domestically and abroad), that we refuse to do.
  • emeidi, on 10/11/2007, -2/+9That makes us Europeans part of the Axis of Evil. I recommend invading us unthankful bastards.
    • repins, on 10/11/2007, -6/+4A better solution is for the USA to pull out of every military base we have in Europe, right down to the last nut and bolt....pay to protect yourselves from now on.
      • chicofaraby, on 10/11/2007, -0/+11A large portion of Europeans have been demanding we withdraw from there for decades. I agree. We need to stop occupying Europe, Japan, Korea, Central America, the Middle East, Africa.... basically our troops have no business outside of the USA.
      • JohnP, on 10/11/2007, -2/+2Oh noes! As the largest economy in the world, im sure money will be a HUGE problem...

        • Pixelante, on 10/11/2007, -4/+1Once they have to pay for their own defence, SERIOUSLY and not just for some parade, they won't be a huge economy anymore.

          But it won't happen. Euros love their comfort. They love being lazy.
      • kazamx, on 10/11/2007, -0/+4WOOO HOOOOO

        If the Americans left, there would be MANY happy people. Most of Europe wants America out. Having you here makes us a big target if a big war starts out. The big shield thing you guys talk about to defend the US from rockets, needs advance warning, so you have bases in Europe. if the ***** hits the fan we can expect to be hit first, to blind your defences. By all means get them out of here.
        • Pixelante, on 10/11/2007, -4/+1I for one would be happy to have US forces out of Europe. Troops there serve no useful purpose anymore, especially in Naziland (France, Germany and assorted irrelevant little countries). Let the Euros PAY for their own defence, let them PAY from their own pockets for their dreams of grandeur. Let them put together a military force that could actually take on little Serbia on its own instead of screaming for US help.

          Then, when the average Euro can't afford the latest cellphone with streaming video to watch kiddie porn on because he's got to pay through his nose to maintain this force, we'll have some good laughs.
    • huszar02, on 10/11/2007, -5/+2Hell, we had to do it 60 years ago because you guys didn't have your act together.
      • kazamx, on 10/11/2007, -0/+5If I remember right, your full of crap.

        The US NEVER declared War on Germany. This is a product of your piss poor education system. When Japan Bombed Perl Harbour, the Japs and Germany signed a deal and Germany declared war on the US. They hoped that once the US was crushed that they would be able to crush Europe with japs help.

        The Americans before that refused to help us. Once they had war declared upon them they had no choice.
        • huszar02, on 10/11/2007, -5/+0Piss poor education...right. I'm college educated, and our university system is the best in the world, dumb ass. Conveniently forgotten, right? Anyway, we declared war on Germany on December 11, 1941.

          If it weren't for us, all of Europe would be red. In fact, the rise of the Soviet Union occurred because Europe wouldn't stop blowing itself up and left the door wide open for Stalin's expansionism. If anyone should take the blame for the Cold War, it's Europe. You forced us into that situation with your stupid shenanigans that led to the rise of the greatest enemy of freedom to ever exist.
        • thetaco82, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2College educated? I hardly think an associates degree in liberal arts qualifies. If your first and strongest argument is to cry, "dumb ass," then your opinion is invalidated.

          Sure, our military was mobilized for a just cause 60 years ago. How, though, does that justify our current interventionist foreign policy? Times have changed.
  • DestroyFascism, on 10/11/2007, -8/+732% of people are paying attention...The rest are watching Fox news on Cable and or Paris Hilton Uncut and undressed....
  • jdubhub, on 10/11/2007, -3/+14When did the definition of "patriot" get changed to mean blind obedience to tyranny? It is possible to love your country, but still take issue with the way the government is being run. Those who take issue with that would be well served to examine Mark Twain's later years.
  • repins, on 10/11/2007, -1/+13do not forget China's tacit approval of the genocide in Darfur, since China has blocked every resolution to do anything about it.
    • RhymesWithSauce, on 10/11/2007, -7/+4Digg = China and Iran good, America and Israel Bad.
      • kazamx, on 10/11/2007, -2/+9No Digg = not full of morons who believe everything Fox says
    • rationalist, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3And China's misconduct is relevant how, exactly? Are they the standard you aspire to?

      Oh I forgot, repins, you always use the childish, "But Mommmmm, Jimmy did it twice as bad" - as if that somehow excuses your behavior.

      Don't look now, citizens, as we take away your civil liberties and squander your treasury on foreign expeditions - "ooh,look, shiny Al Qaeda, be afraid, nothing to see here at home, move along, China bad, therefore US good, my country right or wrong, Deutchland Uber Alles!
  • codmate, on 10/11/2007, -3/+19Well done USA - you've finally inherited our old British mantle of being the most hated and feared country in the world!

    Enjoy!
    • saigumi, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2Yeah, and we didn't have to conquer half the world to get it either.

      Everyone keeps blaming the commonality of English on us damn lazy Americans not wanting to learn other languages.... not the fact that England had made colonies of southern Africa, India, Australia, Hong Kong, North Ameria and other countries.
  • jdubhub, on 10/11/2007, -2/+16"The best argument against democracy is a five minute conversation with the average voter."--Winston Churchill
    • blizzardice, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2Look at me I'm Winston Churchill. Look, I'm Winston Churchill.
  • markgl, on 10/11/2007, -10/+8well 16 - 24 year olds are being fed that america is bad and they're believing it. we are a great country and I will never agree that we are bad. I don't care what you say. We are not 100%. show me a country who is batting 1000 in being a perfect country. You can't, but america is the best and probably will be the best country to ever have been on this planet.
    • DestroyFascism, on 10/11/2007, -1/+1*****! You lot of full of your own *****
    • stevenvh, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2Oh dear! You're serious, aren't you?
      Sigh...
    • CartoonAl, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1you forgot to finish with '/sarcasm'

      didn't you.....?
    • markgl, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1no i'm serious. think what u want, but more people will agree with me than anyone else.
  • MadOgre, on 10/11/2007, -12/+11That's because a third of Europe is ignorant because they are fed their news by Anti-American jackasses.
    • Pixelante, on 10/11/2007, -4/+0You've got it almost right. A third of Europe is ignorant, the remaining two thirds are just stupid.
    • stevenvh, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2Maybe, but that's another third. The third we're talking about has learnt to use their brains to think critically.
    • Murdats, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3wow the irony.
      you very ignorantly call a large percentage of a region ignorant, because they believe something you dont.
  • necbone, on 10/11/2007, -10/+9Europe better be scared, we've been #1 for awhile, all strong empires have their ups and downs; however, if Europe ever got into any trouble, "you know who" would be there to save their arses....

    America hasnt attacked any global powers or European states, so, this poll is kinda silly....If we don't try to help the world people will bitch, if we do help people bitch, it's just like that....When Bush rolls out we'll see if folks will like us any better, but probably not, when you're #1, people hate on ya...
  • zebr, on 10/11/2007, -3/+5At least we have TiVo.
    • DesuKN, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2And we can download without fear. Your point?
  • jason469, on 10/11/2007, -0/+0@CartoonAl

    Are 16? you graduated college and yet you failed to read my post correctly? I said 16, so unless your that age, you're not in that group. RTFC.

    At 16 were you as smart as you are now? I don't think so and that is why I used that age. At that age it is easy to be influenced by what anyone says. By your early twenties, your a lot smarter (at least I hope) and that is why I excluded the 20 year olds.
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