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Most Mentioned Enemies of the USA

How did American citizens respond to this Gallup poll question: "What one country ... do you consider to be the United States' greatest enemy today".
The poll takes place in February
Numbers do not necessarilty add up to 100% because of other/no opinion
Quiz by Gyrenaica
Rate:
Featured Quiz
Last updated: April 7, 2020
More quiz info >>
First submittedApril 16, 2015
Times taken90,614
Average score73.3%
Rating4.45
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2020
23%
Russia
22%
China
19%
Iran
12%
North Korea
7%
Iraq
1%
Afghanistan
 
 
2016
16%
North Korea
15%
Russia
14%
Iran
12%
China
5%
Iraq
4%
Afghanistan
4%
Syria
2012
32%
Iran
23%
China
10%
North Korea
7%
Afghanistan
5%
Iraq
2%
Russia
2%
Pakistan
1%
Japan
1%
Saudi Arabia
1%
United States
itself
2008
25%
Iran
22%
Iraq
14%
China
9%
North Korea
3%
United States
itself
3%
Afghanistan
2%
Pakistan
2%
Russia
1%
Saudi Arabia
1%
Venezuela
2005
22%
Iraq
22%
North Korea
14%
Iran
10%
China
3%
Afghanistan
2%
United States
itself
2%
France
2%
Saudi Arabia
2%
Syria
2%
Russia
1%
(Middle East)
2001
38%
Iraq
14%
China
8%
Iran
6%
Russia
4%
Libya
4%
Saudi Arabia
2%
Cuba
2%
(Middle East)
2%
North Korea
1%
Japan
1%
(Palestine)
1%
United States
itself
Malbaby
+13
Level 71
Dec 19, 2015
Does anyone else think the picture given looks like Sean Connery in disguise?
azteque316
+2
Level 68
Dec 19, 2015
I did...
divantilya
+2
Level 37
Aug 24, 2017
Absolutely! -

But looks are deceiving, my James Bond would, I'm sure detest Khomeini.

StupidFatHobbit
+2
Level 41
Jan 22, 2018
This is why i love Last crusade. James Bond and Han Solo team up
Jacktheguy
+1
Level 87
Apr 28, 2020
Wanna know something cool? Julian Glover, the guy who plays Donovan, has also been in both For Your Eyes Only and The Empire Strikes Back.
PanosG31
+4
Level 36
Dec 19, 2015
People were asked which countries and answered ISIS and Middle East....
craigsnyder
+19
Level 45
Dec 20, 2015
ISIS at least makes sense because it is functioning as a sort of pseudo-state right now, and it certainly has positioned itself as an enemy of the US. The Middle East answer though... that's just ignorance.
jmellor13
+7
Level 67
May 1, 2018
I tried ISIS for exactly this reason. It holds itself out as an independent state (and it is intent on the destruction of non-Muslims) so I think it's a reasonable response.
ShievaAndGolly
+1
Level 48
Feb 4, 2022
I think (and hope) that they were talking about in general.
kalbahamut
+2
Level 83
Apr 28, 2020
what do you think the S in ISIS stands for?
Coldyham
+4
Level 60
Jan 11, 2021
Well one of them stands for Syria
Alan788
+1
Level 26
Apr 2, 2022
No it doesn't

The official standing for ISIS according to Google is

Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.

ShievaAndGolly
+1
Level 48
Apr 26, 2022
I think one of them stands for Syria(n).
YouLoveEagle
+1
Level 50
Jun 13, 2022
I think the S in ISIS means Somebody/Someone
BotswanaEmperor
+3
Level 61
Apr 28, 2020
What's funny is more Americans know that ISIS exists, yet don't even know what it stands for.
Kontio100
+2
Level 50
Dec 19, 2015
Nato should be on top
ShievaAndGolly
+2
Level 48
Feb 22, 2022
..?
Alan788
+1
Level 26
Apr 2, 2022
What...?
luxint
+10
Level 63
Dec 19, 2015
Surely USA itself. Vast majority of mass shootings only happen in the USA, much more of a threat than islamic terrorism
Gabisolarboy
+5
Level 52
Apr 29, 2020
I know, but since 9/11, the media has been only showing significant school shootings if the perpetrators are either young or Muslim. I had to search YouTube to look at the news about the New Zealand mosque shooting because our media is racist.
bburroughs
+11
Level 62
Nov 24, 2020
Oh please, if there is a mass shooting in the US it is widely publicized no matter who it is. The shooting in LV, just this week the Wisconsin mall shootings was broadcast all over. You usually get tv stations to break into programming to report it many times as well no matter who is the shooter. Most are white men.
IntelVoid
+1
Level 67
Dec 19, 2015
Missed Venezuela. Very interesting quiz.
MT14
+1
Level 43
Dec 19, 2015
Really interesting and original quiz!
kalbahamut
+12
Level 83
Dec 19, 2015
Japan? Were they polling 90 year olds?
kolp
+7
Level 85
Dec 19, 2015
Gallup may claim their methodology is scientifically accurate, but these general polls have severe problems 99.99% of the time. One being that mean and median age of respondents is much higher than that of the general population. So yes, probably they were.
Kalleanon
+9
Level 66
Jul 7, 2017
A lot of Americans in the tech and auto industries (among others) would consider Japan their biggest economic enemy, it's probably not what the question meant but that doesn't stop them answering that way.
jmellor13
+12
Level 67
May 1, 2018
I remember a guy in a bar telling me that the 2011 tsunami was God punishing the Japanese for Pearl Harbor. Obliterating two cities with the atomic bomb wasn't good enough, so God decided to wait 70 years until anyone old enough to have any say in the decision to ally with Germany was dead or close to it, and then strike.
kalbahamut
+19
Level 83
May 1, 2018
He works in mysterious ways
Charliezard
+1
Level 64
Nov 23, 2021
fax
Quizzer6794
+21
Level 64
Dec 19, 2015
Alas, a featured quiz where the US stands the least-guessed!
Gyrenaica
+12
Level 36
May 9, 2016
Hallelujah
markthoma
+2
Level 72
May 3, 2018
I mean, it's got to be one of the only ones out there, right? Are there any other ones where the USA is a correct answer and so few people guessed it?

Great point you've made. Now I'll be looking out for this.

Pandora49
+1
Level 54
Sep 14, 2020
Lol Quizzer
Elan
+13
Level 63
Dec 19, 2015
Obviously, they're not an enemy, but I was really surprised that nobody said Mexico regarding the immigration issue.
YamatoFans
+6
Level 63
Jun 4, 2016
I guessed Mexico
samiamco
+3
Level 71
Jun 5, 2016
Yeah, but people don't blame *Mexico* for that, because it's not like people think their government is *sending* them here – it's just that lots of Mexicans want to come here for a better life, yadda yadda yadda. Americans blame our *own* government for not deporting them all pronto, and not building a giant wall to keep them out. Specifically, they blame President Obama. Thanks, Obama!
Findlay
+4
Level 81
Aug 30, 2016
Pretty sure Trump suggested that was precisely what the Mexican government were doing.
SpencerGT
+2
Level 58
Nov 2, 2021
If he did, I don't think that it was terribly clear.
Hdny42
+5
Level 59
Dec 20, 2015
I'm an American with a degree in history, and am mostly optimistic about other Americans, but I was able to get all but one (I feel like 'US itself,' is a trick question) just by saying "Americans can be stupid, so which nations do stupid people just plain dislike?"

I'm honestly surprised Germany and the UK aren't on it. In a Donald Trump America, Mexico would move up in the rankings quickly.

IsleAuHaulte
+6
Level 87
Apr 28, 2020
A year before the election. Interesting.
SpencerGT
+1
Level 58
Nov 2, 2021
Except it didn't. :O
ChocolateMoose
+1
Level 35
Dec 20, 2015
why is Venezuela on here?
Baltimorean
+6
Level 71
Dec 21, 2015
Because of the constant denunciations of Hugo Chavez and his successor, Nicolas Maduro, by the Bush and Obama administration, echoed in large sections of the media. Chavez not only used Venezuela's oil wealth to create a form of socialism, but vigorously opposed U.S. meddling in Venezuela's affairs (including the failed coup during Chavez' first term that the Bush Administration cheered on) and tried to organize a regional alliance, with Bolivia, Cuba and sometimes Ecuador, of left-leaning states opposed to U.S. policies. Chavez and Maduro have also attempted to repress domestic opposition (with mixed results), which U.S. governments have historically ignored when friendly regimes engage in it but denounce when done by opponents.
kenpo17
+1
Level 67
Mar 28, 2017
Thanks for the explanation, I was wondering about Venezuela as well.
Malbaby
+1
Level 71
Jul 2, 2017
And they don't have extradition agreements with USA. (ask Harry Pfarrer in Burn After Reading)
amm14
+3
Level 69
Jan 29, 2020
This comment, which was terrible when made, managed to age very poorly.
kalbahamut
+2
Level 83
May 1, 2018
Several Latin American countries have politics and leaders that are openly hostile to the United States. Venezuela and Cuba might be the most well known but Bolivia and Colombia are similarly vocal in their anti-Americanism. I don't think any of them have actually been a threat to the United States, though, at least not since Cuba was accepting shipments of nuclear missiles from the Soviet Union.
Liopleurodon
+1
Level 65
Dec 20, 2015
After taking this quiz, I gave up all hope in humanity
Maladroit
+1
Level 54
Nov 27, 2017
Well, there's still all the other countries. I hear the UK is very nice at all times of year.
divantilya
+5
Level 37
Mar 11, 2018
As long as you don't eat the food!
ander217
+3
Level 77
May 2, 2018
As long as you stay away from Midsomer - murder capital of the UK. ;)
ShievaAndGolly
+1
Level 48
Apr 26, 2022
People can be stupid anywhere.
Skamps
+6
Level 43
Dec 21, 2015
Japan, France, WTF?
wildcat101a
+3
Level 44
Dec 23, 2015
I thought that France is one of the USA's strongest allies!
Gyrenaica
+3
Level 36
Jan 4, 2016
American were angry at the time cause France wasn't supporting us in a war.
Malbaby
+9
Level 71
Feb 15, 2016
France has one ally an one ally only ........... France.
kiwiquizzer
+2
Level 67
Dec 26, 2016
'Allo 'allo
BrennoAU
+1
Level 43
Mar 24, 2022
I would argue, due to the prevalence of french revolutions, that this comment is not actually accurate
Zefyrinus
+6
Level 69
Sep 8, 2017
Freedom fries!
BelgianFries
+5
Level 47
Nov 9, 2020
Belgian Fries!
AlfieJMD
+1
Level 36
Dec 23, 2015
Didn't know Venezuela was a threat but was surprised Mexico want on there. Typed France and Cuba randomly and got them :p
CaoMaru
+2
Level 50
Jan 20, 2020
To be honest, none of these countries, with the remote possible exceptions of North Korea and Iran (and then mostly of the US's own making), are a threat to the US.
CaoMaru
+2
Level 50
Jan 20, 2020
Actually, I'll revise that. The US is in some respects a threat to itself, and Russia could be considered a threat through interference in elections.
SpencerGT
+1
Level 58
Nov 2, 2021
By making fake news articles? Releasing private emails? I'm still a little unclear on what Russia did.
dg48
+1
Level 60
Dec 23, 2015
Ha missed US
azhfandak
+9
Level 74
Dec 25, 2015
as an iranian: whith honor and pride; the number one enemy of us is united states who has toppled over a dozen of popular and independent governments and is backing enemies of democracy (mostly arab tyrannical regimes).
Gyrenaica
+2
Level 36
Jan 4, 2016
Unfortunately true.
kalbahamut
+2
Level 83
Aug 12, 2020
It's not. If Iran were willing to engage in peaceful trade, diplomacy, and coexistence with the United States and the rest of the world they would have nothing to fear from them. As they did prior to 1979. And as they were moving toward doing again before Trump took over. Once he's gone the door will be open again.
Malbaby
+11
Level 71
Feb 15, 2016
I'll bet you don't live in Iran though.
Gabisolarboy
+1
Level 52
Apr 29, 2020
I’ve seen videos of your country. Not the militaristic things, but the sights to see there. Iran is a beautiful country with rich history. But since I’m an American, I can’t go. Since 9/11, we have been taking armies to the Middle East to “sort things out.” But it’s true that we have gone a bit overboard, just because Iran became “a hub for terrorism” and because the country doesn’t support one of the US’ closest current allies, Israel. Because of the hate surrounding us, I’m sometimes afraid to reveal that I’m American. I hope some day, I can go to the Iran Mall and know that I won’t be hated because of my nationality.
kalbahamut
+2
Level 83
Aug 12, 2020
I know a bunch of Americans who have visited Iran. It's still possible to go there.
kalbahamut
+2
Level 83
Aug 12, 2020
Even moreso than citizens of the United States should be wary of the US government or the country itself, Iranians ought to be as well- the number one threat to you in Iran are those in power and the people in the country blinded by propaganda that support them. They will try and convince you to hate Americans and blame everything on them as a way of distracting from their own failures as leaders. Trump does the same thing - trying to get everyone to call COVID-19 the "China virus," for example - he and other incompetent autocratic leaders around the world have a lot in common. Also, the Iranian ayatollahs are no better than any Arab kings. This is more propaganda.
SeekerSpock1
+3
Level 76
May 26, 2016
Who are these people who are saying France and Japan?

Also, are there people that uneducated to think that the Middle East is one country?

Warrenator
+3
Level 59
Jun 4, 2016
They didn't. They're talking generally. And they're not wrong either.
smartguy2
+6
Level 66
Apr 7, 2019
The question does say "name ONE country".
CaoMaru
+5
Level 50
Jan 20, 2020
Actually, they are very wrong.
BotswanaEmperor
+2
Level 61
Apr 28, 2020
I get countries like Yemen and Syria in the Middle East, but the small countries on the Persian Gulf pose no threat to any country. Seriously, you think Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and the UAE are going to annihilate you in a war. Really. (although I doubt many Americans even know the Persian Gulf exists)
Grafakos
+2
Level 37
Jun 4, 2016
Japan??
samiamco
+1
Level 71
Jun 5, 2016
Likely residual icky feelings about WWII. See my and others' comments, above.
ander217
+5
Level 77
May 2, 2018
When one of my daughters was a teenager, she and her boyfriend were playing Trivial Pursuit with us. One of the questions was about dropping the bomb on Japan and her boyfriend looked incredulous as he asked, "We fought a war with Japan?" It made me realize what a difference a generation can make. (And it also made me wonder what is being taught in history class these days.)
Ryanboss
+2
Level 51
Jun 16, 2016
I never would have guessed the US itself
azteque316
+1
Level 68
Jul 4, 2016
Same here... Theres something wrong when you think your own country is your worst ennemy...
kenpo17
+5
Level 67
Mar 28, 2017
I didn't think to guess it, but once I saw the US was an answer, I was immediately like "yeah, that makes sense." It's true in more than one sense of the word - hardly anyone trusts the government (and with good reason), we're sharply divided against each other politically and getting worse all the time, and gang violence and public shootings are still a major problem that kills more US citizens than any other nation does.
divantilya
+3
Level 37
Aug 24, 2017
Absolutely! - Add to that third-world wages and health care, the lack of truly affordable housing and the onslaught of taxes, fines, duties, tolls, value-added taxes ad infinitum and you can certainly understand why many Americans consider our own country our greatest enemy. We are always the first in line to send aid to other countries (even when we're not asked to) while our own people are underpaid, under employed and under attack. What would YOU call that!
BotswanaEmperor
+2
Level 61
Apr 28, 2020
Also how they elected Trump proves that they are up to some schemes.
azteque316
+1
Level 68
Jul 4, 2016
and what about Al-Quaida in these lists???
hellodrew
+4
Level 63
Aug 19, 2016
Are you typing that 'answer' in when you do the countries of the world quiz!?
kalbahamut
+1
Level 83
Aug 12, 2020
Al-Qaeda has never had its own country; not even when they were being harbored by the Taliban in Afghanistan. They were just guests.
Skamps
+3
Level 43
Aug 19, 2016
France and Japan? Seriously?
Findlay
+3
Level 81
Aug 30, 2016
France in the era of Freedom Fires.... Japan because, I dunno, Pearl Habor's still living on in infamy?
Findlay
+2
Level 81
Aug 30, 2016
Japan was probably kept alive in these results by the phase of economic anxiety when it seemed Japan was threatening to surpass the US economically, though even that's 20-30 years back now.
CyrusK
+3
Level 58
Nov 17, 2016
quoting USA itself as it's potential own enemy seemed self deprecation at the time.

Today, in light of the presidential election, some might find it cruelly prophetic.

coro
+1
Level 59
Jan 18, 2017
It will be interesting to see a 2017 version about halfway through the year.
nichster
+1
Level 52
Dec 8, 2016
Odd. People think that they are their own enemy...
kalbahamut
+1
Level 83
Aug 12, 2020
and yet they still get accused of blind jingoism all the time.
jajaco2017
+3
Level 60
Jan 14, 2017
Japan ??
Shiloh376
+2
Level 73
Mar 3, 2017
Not only is Japan not an enemy, they are one of our best allies. Go figure!
shute
+1
Level 34
Mar 28, 2017
of course no americans thought that us would be an enemy of itself
tom88
+3
Level 68
Mar 28, 2017
I would love to see the answers for this poll if it were taken today. I would imagine russia, north korea, and U.S. itself would all get big bumps based on recent events.
Bernard62601
+9
Level 77
Mar 28, 2017
Liechtenstein is our biggest threat.
Jeremy
+1
Level 73
Jun 21, 2018
Nah, it's Belgium.
BotswanaEmperor
+3
Level 61
Apr 28, 2020
Actually, its Sealand. They're hiding their submarines under the water.
bibohbi
+1
Level 50
Sep 30, 2021
nah pretty sure they hide their submarines on islands.
anything22
+1
Level 46
Apr 23, 2017
USA!?!?!?!?!?!?!!?!?
QueenBea
+2
Level 49
May 9, 2017
Strange how people thought Russia was more of a threat than ISIS.
shute
+8
Level 34
May 24, 2017
I would say that greenland (Denmark)is a far bigger threat to america than russia or china because thats were all the land ice is melting causing sea rising
kalbahamut
+3
Level 83
Jan 28, 2020
It's strange that you would think this was strange. Russia is and always has been a much bigger threat.
AbhishekNS
+4
Level 55
Jun 23, 2020
Russia is not as much of a threat as it was back in the Cold-War era. Where as, China looks like a bigger threat to US as of now.
kalbahamut
+1
Level 83
Aug 12, 2020
Russia is still a much bigger threat than China. They are actively and aggressively working to undermine American and European democracies. They have assassinated Westerners on Western soil. They have put bounties on the heads of American servicemen. They've been pulling the strings of our idiot president to get him to act against the interests of the American people. China has done none of that.
kalbahamut
+2
Level 83
Mar 24, 2022
and now...
NCsupercade
+1
Level 58
Jul 3, 2017
Soooo, people don't seem to know that Nixon normalized relations with China, that we've been staunch allies with Japan since 1945, that neither ISIS or Palestine are official states and that the "Middle East" is one country. Dear God we're all screwed!
Jeremy
+1
Level 73
May 1, 2018
Depends on how you look at Palestine, but you do make a good point
1platinum
+1
Level 44
Mar 28, 2022
Why would you ever think China is no longer off the radar despite Nixon's actions?
stubart409
+2
Level 65
Jul 3, 2017
Constantly having perceived enemies to keep the populace afraid, not only makes people easily manipulable, but it helps keep lots of people in the military industrial industries rich and happy. The whole 'weapons of mass destruction' thing was a classic beat beat up just to instill fear in people and so many people learnt nothing from it or forget all about it after a couple of years. The USA itself should probably be top of the lists.
Drinker
+1
Level 66
Jul 3, 2017
haha tricky, i liked it!
nicdog
+2
Level 65
Jul 20, 2017
japan makes zero sense? I have lived in phoenix Arizona my whole life and have never once heard a single person say anything bad about japan. In fact many Americans consider japan to be our 2nd closest ally after the UK
divantilya
+2
Level 37
Aug 25, 2017
I thought Israel was our closest ally after the UK.
Jeremy
+1
Level 73
May 1, 2018
Canada?
akwildrose
+3
Level 53
Sep 17, 2017
The only one I missed was Japan. Who the heck sees Japan as a threat? Are they stuck in the '40s? The war is over; friends now. ;) I'm not saying that I agree on all the others being a threat; I just know where the idea came from. But Japan I am completely baffled by.
Majic
+1
Level 45
Feb 10, 2018
I thought of Aliens but not about USA :D
divantilya
+1
Level 37
Mar 3, 2018
I can only hope that in seventy years or so, many of those who commented here about Japan are as ready to forgive the terrorists who flew into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, as they are forgiving of Japan today. I wasn't born in 1941, but I still remember the horror with which my parents referred to that day (and they were barely teenagers at the time). We must NEVER forget assaults on our country, regardless of when they happened.
FlabberBapper
+7
Level 69
Apr 1, 2018
Japan and terrorists are different in multiple ways. In 1941 it was much more clear who we were fighting, an actual country. Since 2001 it's harder to tell who we are fighting, terrorists are dressed in civilian clothing making it much more difficult to tell. And we don't forgive Japan for attacking the US, but that was a different Japan than what Japan is today. After we won in the Pacific we helped Japan rewrite a new constitution as well as we gave them capitalistic ideology allowing them to become one of the most tech advanced countries in the world along with South Korea where us Americans get most of are tech from. So, no we won't forgive anyone who attacked are great nation.
bezz
+3
Level 66
May 1, 2018
What about Canada? In 1814 our side burned down your Whitehouse, I would think that would have put us on the "A" list of unforgiveness.
jmellor13
+6
Level 67
May 1, 2018
We took our revenge on Canada by coaxing all the best Canadian hockey players to play for American cities in the NHL.
ander217
+1
Level 77
May 2, 2018
Watch "Canadian Bacon" if you want to know what we're capable of - "Surrender pronto, or we'll level Toronto!" We're watching you up there, and "we have ways of making you speak the letter O, pal."
kalbahamut
+4
Level 83
May 1, 2018
Who said anything about forgiving terrorists? If all terrorists were from the country of Terrorististan and 70 years from now that country was as secular and peaceful as Japan is today, I don't think anyone would have any problem not bearing any animus toward this imaginary country's citizens. At the same time that doesn't mean we're going to be okay with the 9/11 hijackers any more than today we're going to forgive the soldiers who oversaw the rape of Nanjing or the surgeons who did unspeakable things in Unit 731. But not all terrorists are from the same place and they don't represent any national entity.

Then you go on to say we should NEVER forget assaults on "our country." So... does that mean that you were being sarcastic? And that you think we are wrong to not hate the people of Japan today for something that their government did in the 1940s?

Confusing comment...

camus
+2
Level 76
Oct 3, 2019
divantilya - I didn't expect someone with at least a passable general knowledge and the ability to articulate himself to write a comment of such stupidity and near-sightedness. If your attitude had a shred of validity, how many countries could I hate, and how many peoples in foreign countries could hate me, for deeds that happened decades ago and that were committed by different people. I'm glad that the vast majority of Eurpeans don't think like you, because otherwise we would be at each others' throats all the time, and I'm glad the vast majority of Americans disagree with you, because otherwise the world would be even much more of a war-torn hell than it is now already. If your parents held a life-long grudge against the Japanese and even passed it on to you, what is the proper reaction of an Iraqi guy who lost his whole family because of American bombings? Terrorism, perhaps?
camus
+1
Level 76
Oct 3, 2019
Reading your comment above your parents aren't even American, which makes your line of reasoning completely abstruse.
Quizmaster
+10
Level ∞
Apr 2, 2018
My list:

    6. Venezuela

    5. China

    4. North Korea

    3. Russia

    2. United States itself

    1. Belgium

Conservatopia
+5
Level 35
Apr 18, 2018
You've got a bit of thing about Belgium haven't you?
kalbahamut
+12
Level 83
May 1, 2018
What are they hiding in all those little pockets they put in their pancakes? Definitely suspicious.
kalbahamut
+3
Level 83
May 1, 2018
Right now the greatest threat to the country is coming from the executive branch, followed closely by the legislative and then the judicial. I'd put Russia as #2, though of course they had a lot to do with undermining American democracy they would not have succeeded if not for the groundwork laid for them by the Republican party and conservative media and their oligarch masters, assisted as always by the liberals who have their heads so firmly up their own rears they can't see how to win and unloseable election and devote at least half their attention to worrying about the wrong things.

After #1 and #2 I don't think anyone out there is a genuine threat to the United States. If forced to pick somebody I guess China might be #3 but that's mostly because they have an effective government while the US does not and while their power grows America's necessarily wanes; not because of any nefarious intent.

kalbahamut
+1
Level 83
May 11, 2022
update: #1 Russia #2 the judicial branch (after being stacked to the gills with awfulness by the other 2 branches for decades) #3 the legislative branch #4 China #5 North Korea

The executive is no longer a threat to the country or the world but that could change quickly.

LoenardChurch
+1
Level 63
May 1, 2018
Why the Belgium hate?
ing
+2
Level 72
Jan 30, 2020
It's those evil waffles
PatoPotato
+1
Level 47
May 1, 2018
Surprised about USA itself
kalbahamut
+3
Level 83
May 1, 2018
All the people who are expressing some sense of despair at this: did you notice that the list of perceived enemies is shrinking smaller and smaller year by year? And none of the odd or surprising answers are above 2%. Don't get so excited.
TWM03
+3
Level 66
Jun 13, 2018
The reason the list was so short in 2018 was because so many people agreed that North Korea was the biggest enemy. A long list doesn't indicate the perception of many enemies: just that people are in disagreement.
kalbahamut
+2
Level 83
Jul 10, 2018
Right. But it makes sense to be worried about North Korea. (though it would make more sense to worry about Russia) The fact that more people are getting a "correct" answer and fewer are throwing out answers like France, Japan, or Cuba is good news, right?
TWM03
+2
Level 66
Jul 13, 2018
If people stop thinking France is more of a threat than North Korea that could be down to either decreased stupidity or more worry about North Korea or both. (I would guess it was mainly due to the incidents with the ICBMs). But it isn't really good news if in someone's mind North Korea just overtakes France as #1 enemy (admittedly there were a few years inbetween, but it is a simplification).
kalbahamut
+1
Level 83
Apr 6, 2019
I'm still going to take it as good news. It's rare that I can feel optimistic about the intelligence of the average citizen, so I take what I can get.
TWM03
+1
Level 66
Jun 13, 2018
But I agree that there is little reason for despair in these statistics. It is just a list of countries that people either don't like or feel worried about. There are always going to be some stupid answers and a wide range of plausible ones.
Salz
+4
Level 55
May 1, 2018
France! HAHAHA!!!!
jellyperson
+4
Level 57
May 1, 2018
France and Japan cracked me up too.

Also the people who answered "the Middle East". Aside from thinking "the Middle East" is a single country, the most plausible reason I can think of is that people think all/most of the countries in the ME act collectively with aligned goals, which is also an amusing level of ignorance.

Asterlan
+1
Level 57
Sep 29, 2020
I think the reason France is there is that they didn’t help us in the war on terror. You know, Freedom Fries stuff.
VAbumpkin
+13
Level 60
May 1, 2018
Too bad you can't include other enemies - like Fox News.
Gassu
+1
Level 71
Aug 8, 2018
One of the best comments I‘ve read so far!
kalbahamut
+1
Level 83
Dec 4, 2019
and Russia Today. Though they're virtually the same these days.
bezz
+4
Level 66
May 1, 2018
Japan? The Yanks still upset over Pearl Harbor or something?
jellyperson
+1
Level 57
May 1, 2018
That was my first thought, but Vietnam isn't on there, so I don't think its people thinking about decades-old wars. I have other weak guesses that people view Japan as an economic threat (was a big thing in the 1980s but not so plausible recently) or some political news we've now forgotten that had people's attention at the time (e.g., talking of revising their constitution to allow broader use of their military -- although that is more recent than the survey results).
kalbahamut
+5
Level 83
Jul 10, 2018
I actually do think that it's Pearl Harbor. My grandmother's generation (rapidly dying off now, might be why it's no longer an answer in 2018) is still very mad at Japan. But my father's generation (who fought in Vietnam)? I don't think they're holding a grudge at all. Those are the people more likely to answer that America is it's own greatest enemy. They never really understood why we were fighting Vietnam in the first place.
DasCreamy109
+1
Level 53
May 1, 2018
Obviously the topic is subjective, but I think the U.S. and Russia should be tied for first. While you could argue politics and economy, let's remember that between the two countries, the world has almost ended multiple times simply from nuclear threat. Will the two countries get along? I don't know, and that's the scary part.
jmellor13
+1
Level 67
May 1, 2018
Based on some comments I've heard while traveling through the South, I'm surprised the Confederacy isn't on here.
jmellor13
+5
Level 67
May 1, 2018
I once saw a bumper sticker that said "North: 1, South: 0. Halftime." I have to admit, it was pretty funny.
ander217
+1
Level 77
May 2, 2018
I also see one that says, "He** no, we ain't forgettin'!" My favorite is, "American by birth, Southern by the grace of God." Regarding the US being on the enemy list, Walt Kelly's 'possum Pogo said it best, "We have met the enemy and he is us."
stevediverse
+3
Level 91
May 1, 2018
This is a great quiz. It's also sad. I'm from the USA, and a lot of the people I talk to say North Korea is a huge threat ... and surprise, surprise, they don't even know where it is, or anything about it's population, size of its military, or the estimates of the types of weapons N.Korea might have. Most of these answers are based on ignorance t and "American" arrogance and bigotry and not on any real knowledge of the global landscape. ...and I'm in the 1% that put USA as its own #1 enemy. The whole thing about Russia messing with the election, however much Russia did troll US social media, ultimately, it is/was the ignorance of Americans who believed it. Most 'fake news' is easy to spot if you have even half an education and falling for it requires a special kind of stupid.
tmaster52
+1
Level 57
May 1, 2018
Love this quiz
ryoga7r
+1
Level 68
May 1, 2018
This is a quiz website. The only thing jetpunk cares about are numbers. Not politics. And even when it's about politics, it's about the numbers. You will never see a quiz that says, How do you feel about........on jetpunk. Your feelings are insignificant........jetpunk data rulz. All your base are belong to us!!!!!!!!
TheAlternateNY
+2
Level 56
May 1, 2018
we all know japan is the biggest threat to world peace .

THE ANIME APOCALYPSE IS COMING!!!

TinklePork
+3
Level 63
May 2, 2018
Where is Israel?
jmellor13
+10
Level 67
May 2, 2018
At the east end of the Mediterranean, just west of Jordan.
kalbahamut
+8
Level 83
May 3, 2018
While it's ridiculous to consider Israel a threat to the United States, I was also mildly surprised to see that there weren't at least 1% of people who said that it was. Particularly among liberal Millennials, college students, and Muslim-Americans I think this would be a popular answer. This might be another clue that the polling data skews toward older respondents.
AJsaba
+1
Level 50
Apr 28, 2020
There should be at least small percentage who are against world Jewry, controlling of banks and media, human right violations. So it's not really ridiculous
kalbahamut
+3
Level 83
Apr 28, 2020
As someone who advocates opposition to "world Jewry", I would not think of you as a reliable arbiter of what is and is not ridiculous.
mikeyp
+1
Level 51
May 2, 2018
Surprised not to see Giedi Prime on this list.
theperiodictable
+1
Level 47
May 7, 2018
ha united states as it's own enemy
FrostyGirl44
+1
Level 22
Jun 2, 2018
The fact the US itself is on there makes me dislike America even more... And I'm American...
kalbahamut
+6
Level 83
Jul 10, 2018
Start disliking it enough and maybe you'll be one of the people answering that way.
Aleksandro
+1
Level 50
Jun 26, 2018
Wow, only one I didn't get was USA itself...
divantilya
+3
Level 37
Jul 22, 2018
WELL, at least the numbers are shrinking (only 6 enemies in 2018).

But please don't tell Trump that his "pet" Russia remains on the list! -

smartguy2
+3
Level 66
Apr 7, 2019
Also don't tell Trump that Mexico isn't on the list.
Fergy586
+2
Level 72
Aug 20, 2021
Yeah all that Russian collusion was crazy that got proven with all that hard evidence that it was happening. Good thing Donald is in jail for that now.
Germanwolverine
+2
Level 60
Nov 12, 2018
Why is Japan here?
PeggaIsLag
+3
Level 57
Jan 16, 2019
US is so hated it hates itself
kalbahamut
+4
Level 83
Apr 6, 2019
Americans are more capable of self-reflection and accepting of honest criticism (and, ironically given the false stereotypes, less given to mindless blind patriotism) than most people around the world, that's why.
gzx5
+1
Level 65
Apr 28, 2020
They are MILES ahead of Muslim countries for that. Turkey cowers from their role in the Armenian genocide and tries to justify it. Part of Arab tribalism is deflecting the problems of one's community onto another. I used to be Muslim and I learnt a lot in that time.
kalbahamut
+1
Level 83
Apr 28, 2020
honestly they're ahead of just about everyone in this regard except maybe Germany.
Daniel1712
+2
Level 32
Mar 10, 2019
I'm german and I wonder why Germany isn't in there
kalbahamut
+1
Level 83
Aug 12, 2020
Does seem odd that they wouldn't be on the list but Japan would be. The answer is probably racism.
Confabulously
+1
Level 75
Apr 6, 2019
Boy, I sure hope those who think Russia is the #1 enemy of the US don't go straight into McCarthyism. I hope even more that they don't double down harder now that the Mueller report has concluded with no indictments. Too late.
GeoDude
+4
Level 53
Apr 7, 2019
There were many indictments. 34 so far.

I also hope we can end Russian influence and crime without going into McCarthyism.

kalbahamut
+1
Level 83
Jan 28, 2020
Jesus. Watch some real news.
Bdubz
+2
Level 44
May 14, 2019
How in the world are France and Japan on here?
kalbahamut
+1
Level 83
Jun 2, 2019
There are a bunch of comments above answering this.
HinesBrothers
+1
Level 74
Jun 2, 2019
How is the US a threat to itself?
kalbahamut
+8
Level 83
Dec 4, 2019
A hegemonic power cannot be challenged from without, it can only collapse from within.
charchar711
+4
Level 67
Jan 28, 2020
The fact that a question like this even has to exist and has so many on the list proves how messed up America is. No wonder they need to spend so much on military. It isn't so they can back up other countries like Canada etc., it's because they piss off so many people around the world and because they invade other countries for no credible reason (i.e Iraq.) Make a question like this about almost any other wealthy country or certainly western wealthy country and you'd have no list!
kalbahamut
+4
Level 83
Jan 28, 2020
This is false. In fact there's another quiz on the site about Russia's perceived enemies. I'm sure you could do the same poll in the UK, France, Japan, South Korea, China, India, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Turkey, Greece, Italy... and can think of probable answers for all of the above... which hippy commune are you from where the people get along with everyone and have never had any historical rivalries, conflicts, or disagreements?
NauruPalau
+1
Level 52
Jan 29, 2020
Ugh of course people would say the US itself nowadays... missed that
kalbahamut
+1
Level 83
Jan 30, 2020
I'm sure the USSR would have dominated any such poll all during the Cold War, with mentions of Korea, Vietnam, Cuba, Egypt, East Germany and so on. It's sad to see that Russia had sunk so low - down to 2% some years - only to resurge the way it has. And it's mostly Vladimir Putin's fault. Things could have gone a different way.
CLD99
+3
Level 49
Apr 25, 2020
Are Americans really that petty? France? Just because they wouldn't support the War on Terror? I'm slightly embarrassed to be one rn
alboot
+1
Level 43
Apr 28, 2020
yeahhh but the poll was only given to Americans, give to citizens of any other country and it would be interesting to see what the answers are
Ibath
+1
Level 58
Apr 28, 2020
I tried USSR, a bit disappointed that it didnt work.
halpie
+1
Level 75
Apr 28, 2020
The last year the USSR existed was 1991. The first year the quiz uses is 2001.
SkittUz
+2
Level 59
Apr 28, 2020
France, Saudi Arabia, Japan... US allies... Americans know nothing about their government foreign relations
Clarkie96
+1
Level 68
Apr 28, 2020
Interesting that, apart from Cuba and the USA itself, so many "enemies" are so geographically distant.....
kalbahamut
+3
Level 83
Apr 28, 2020
That is interesting. Most of the time if you conducted similar polls in other countries, the list would be dominated by other countries that were geographically proximate. The USA, in spite of once invading Canada, and going to war with Mexico, doesn't seem to hold a grudge for very long the way some other cultures do, and tend to get along better with their neighbors.

Another reason for this might be that the USA has the capability of projecting military power and economic and political influence all over the world; they can make enemies everywhere; other countries can only do this more locally.

Clarkie96
+1
Level 68
Apr 28, 2020
Very good points there - I guess the question that I would ask if I was an American is why the country wants to have the "capability of projecting military power and economic and political influence all over the world", and therefore the ability to make enemies everywhere..... Looking at the enormous military "defense" budget, it seems like quite an expensive job!
kalbahamut
+1
Level 83
Apr 28, 2020
some do, some don't. but I think realistically it's more a question of responsibility than desire.
alexandertorres1978
+1
Level 70
Apr 28, 2020
US itself was quite the curveball
kalbahamut
+1
Level 83
Sep 26, 2020
bigger curveball was that this disappears from the answers in 2016-2020, the years when the United States clearly did become its own worst enemy, or at least a good chunk of its government and the population that supports it.
Nickelis
+1
Level 27
Nov 28, 2020
I put every country in North America first and I accidentally put the USA and got it lmao
ZIZI
+1
Level 57
Apr 28, 2020
Wow, some Americans really do seem to hold grudges!
paumarcopan
+1
Level 56
Apr 28, 2020
Saudi Arabia made me laugh a lot
PattyMahomes15
+1
Level 33
Apr 28, 2020
People are on here debating about France, and I'm here trying to figure out how I missed USA itself lol.
DaveH
+1
Level 47
Apr 28, 2020
I would urge any respondent to this poll which suggested that the USA is its own worst enemy, move to one of the other nations in the poll results.
camus
+3
Level 76
Apr 28, 2020
The fact that many places are less livable doesn't mean that they are bigger threats to the US than (parts of) itself.
Julotek
+3
Level 57
Apr 28, 2020
I would urge you to understand that answering the USA doesn't mean you prefer any other countries from this poll results.

Maybe it means you prefer many other countries which are not in this poll results.

kalbahamut
+3
Level 83
Apr 28, 2020
I'm sure that those who are self-reflective enough to understand that the US is imperfect and that fundamentally it is a greater threat to itself than any foreign power could hope to be, answer this way out of love for the country and a desire to see it improve, or despair at seeing it being taken down or made worse. Not because they hate the US and wish to live somewhere else.
canadry
+1
Level 67
May 12, 2020
So you want every decent person to leave? OK, cool.
undeadwarrior
+1
Level 61
Apr 28, 2020
I tried answers that would be obvious to a more educated person, such as all the individual countries of the Middle East, but then I noticed that the questionnaire was asked to the average American - so I then started guessing the things that don't even make sense, such as Germany, France and Italy. It's sad that one of them worked!
BotswanaEmperor
+1
Level 61
Apr 28, 2020
I mean I guess Germany kind of makes sense, because of both world wars, but I don't think the average American even knew Italy even fought in WWII, despite them being an Axis Power.
BabyOrca
+1
Level 46
Jun 12, 2022
I think he was just trying to guess countries that there was a realistic chance that Americans actually knew of
Archer1212
+2
Level 61
Apr 28, 2020
no Israel? huh. and relax, people. i didn't say Jewish people. i said Israel. significant difference.
BotswanaEmperor
+1
Level 61
Apr 28, 2020
Well, Israel and the US are allies (the reason why the United States is vetoing Palestinian membership in the UN) and I'm not sure how it could suddenly come to an Americans head that Israel is a "bad guy".
bulldog1969
+1
Level 58
Apr 28, 2020
Well Israel's prime minister was stirring up a lot of sentiment against former president Obama, and by extension the Democratic party. Now look who is in the Oval Office. The one person who has destroyed our health care system during the worst pandemic in a century, and turned this country into a laughing stock throughout the world.
BotswanaEmperor
+2
Level 61
Apr 28, 2020
I guess Israel was counted through the Middle East, but Israel is getting constant help from the US and is not like the Arab states in the Middle East where if your not Muslim, your dead. Israel has the highest quality of life in the Middle East and is a peaceful and prosperous nation, just geographically situated in a bad area.
kalbahamut
+1
Level 83
Apr 28, 2020
The fact that you feel the need to announce you are not bigoted against Jews before anyone else even responded to you suggests that you might be bigoted against Jews.
Julotek
+1
Level 57
Apr 28, 2020
So if I understand, when they were asked which COUNTRY may be an enemy, some answered Middle East ?

Well it shows pretty well how accurate their opinions are...

loganite
+1
Level 86
Apr 28, 2020
Japan?! Did they conduct this survey in a rest home? ;)
stubart409
+2
Level 65
Apr 28, 2020
Where's Canada? I'm telling you now USA; those drug dealing Snow Mexicans are tunneling in under your border fences and their coming for your daughters! I've warned you...
J7h9
+1
Level 30
Apr 28, 2020
Missed Cuba, Usa, Venezuela, and Libya. 😑😐
onepotato
+2
Level 43
Apr 28, 2020
I knew the United States hated itself but i didn't know it would be on the list..
Antimatter
+1
Level 45
Apr 28, 2020
Nice updated version! <3 Interesting recent swing back to mid 20th century type answers, seems like Cold War II is realer than ever nowadays. I wonder if without the current virus China would’ve still figured so highly this year though??
EricF
+1
Level 70
Apr 28, 2020
Where’s Petoria?
driehoek25
+2
Level 63
Apr 29, 2020
Where is Wadiya?
Gotterdammerung
+2
Level 51
Apr 29, 2020
One noticeable thing here for me is the rapid rise of Russia in this list. I would bet it has to do with media coverage of Russia's supposed influence in the US election and perhaps Russia's involvement in the Syrian civil war and Ukraine.
kalbahamut
+2
Level 83
May 2, 2020
Or maybe it has to do with Russia's influence in the US election? Which was a real thing that happened. Just a thought.

... could also be Russia actively meddling in elections all over the world notably in Europe, trying to bring down NATO and Western democracy, propping up nationalists and Nazis and populists and nativists and those given to identity politics and other undesirables because these people inspire disunity and strife, invading and occupying sovereign nations to redraw borders through military conquest for the first time in Europe since the end of World War 2, Putin's obvious desire to resurrect the Soviet Union, the shooting down of commercial passenger airlines, the shameless murder of numerous critics of the regime both within Russia's borders and abroad, and their support of Donald Trump who remains the single greatest threat to the present international order and prosperity of the world. Could be that, too.

BabyOrca
+1
Level 46
Jun 12, 2022
??? After that list of stuff Putin is doing you still think Trump is a bigger threat to world prosperity? Oops, just now realized this comment was from 2020...
mapjunkie95
+2
Level 43
May 26, 2020
I'm very surprised Mexico isn't on the list. Only one I missed was usa itself! lol
stoodmarsh
+1
Level 36
Jun 23, 2020
same here
kalbahamut
+2
Level 83
Aug 12, 2020
Americans are more afraid of Mexicans than Mexico.
TamuAudwodia
+1
Level 65
Aug 31, 2020
Funny that Americans still see Iraq as a threat, when it was the US who invaded them by lying that they had weapons of mass destruction (which they didn't). Hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilian deaths has been the result of it, and George W. Bush who was the one who invaded Iraq has not been penalized of his war crimes.
JohnnyYeet
+1
Level 53
Sep 4, 2020
Are American Presidents EVER penalized for war crimes? This is America. America decides who is penalized.
kalbahamut
+1
Level 83
Sep 26, 2020
Most of the time war criminals are only punished if they lose. America doesn't lose many wars. Not so far, anyway.
filiphoset
+1
Level 57
Sep 29, 2020
Imagine living in 2020 and thinking that Russia is a bigger threat to the US than China or Iran
Jakesto
+4
Level 75
Sep 29, 2020
I think 2020 is proving that the greatest enemy of the United States is the United States itself
kalbahamut
+3
Level 83
Nov 10, 2020
Some self-preservation instinct finally kicked in in early November. But, yeah, this is probably still true.
Hampus
+4
Level 58
Feb 18, 2021
Japan and France :D

For some reason I guessed them both, but not USA ITSELF.

QuizMaster126
+3
Level 46
May 25, 2021
The "United States itself" answer was one I did not see coming.

What a plot twist.

FatSpartanJediLlama
+2
Level 59
May 30, 2021
Ok "US itself" wowww

I was actually thinking of typing it as a joke but I didn't smh, only other I missed was Libya I guessed Algeria and Egypt but not Libya

FatSpartanJediLlama
+2
Level 59
May 30, 2021
I feel like whoever said Japan is stuck in the 1940s
Snoflakes
+1
Level 66
Aug 20, 2021
France? What?
thegeneral823
+4
Level 27
Dec 12, 2021
japan and france are some of the USA biggets allys and closest
LuigiDood227
+2
Level 57
Jan 18, 2022
I laughed when I realized USA was one of the options
Dollyfroggy
+1
Level 54
Feb 13, 2022
The caveats say 'necessarilty' instead of 'necessarily'.
Laasya
+2
Level 21
May 11, 2022
I can't believe I missed North Korea out of all countries
CDMX
+1
Level 49
May 11, 2022
Interesting answers but not really at the same time.
autoparts2
+1
Level 34
May 12, 2022
Other than maybe Russia, the US is probably its own worst enemy.
3nchiladas
+2
Level 64
May 15, 2022
yo who the heck is saying Japan or France
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