IS group poses gravest threat to US: poll
PUBLISHED ONFebruary 14, 2015 1:59 AM
WASHINGTON - Americans believe the Islamic State group poses the most serious threat to the United States in the next decade, according to a poll released Friday.
Eighty-four per cent of those quizzed by Gallup said IS jihadists, who have grabbed large areas of Iraq and Syria in a brutal onslaught, and terrorism in general presented a "critical threat."
Respondents put the possible development of nuclear weapons by Iran - which says its nuclear aims are peaceful - as the next most serious danger, followed by the "military power of North Korea."
Despite its alleged backing of rebels in the conflict in Ukraine, only 49 per cent of those polled said the military power of Russia was the gravest threat to the US, and 44 per cent were worried about the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
"In a winter that has seen acts of unspeakable terrorism, with Obama seeking authorisation for military action against the Islamic State, Americans are clearly concerned about Islamic militants and terrorists," Gallup said.
"The conflict in Ukraine may not worry Americans as much because they see it as more of a threat to Europe than to the US." The results were based on telephone interviews conducted from Sunday to Wednesday, with a random sample of 837 adults, across the United States.