Alex Christoforou
The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
RT CrossTalk host Peter Lavelle and The Duran’s Alex Christoforou take a quick look at a recent Gallup Poll that reveals the relentless media propaganda over the last four plus years, to brand Russia as enemy number one for the American populace, is a smashing success.
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Gallup Poll: Americans believe Russia is #1 Enemy of U.S. by The Duran
The Duran Quick Take: Episode 96. RT CrossTalk host Peter Lavelle and The Duran’s Alex Christoforou take a quick look at a recent Gallup Poll that reveals the relentless media propaganda over the last four plus years, to brand Russia as enemy number one for the American populace, is a smashing success.
Via Gallup:
Russia’s already negative image among Americans only worsened over the past year, with a majority for the first time saying that Russia’s military power poses a threat to U.S. vital interests and a third identifying Russia as the United States’ chief enemy. Meanwhile, the percentage of Americans viewing Russia unfavorably edged up a point to 73%. Each of these negative perceptions of Russia marks a record high in Gallup’s trends.
The Feb. 1-10 poll coincided the Trump Administration’s Feb. 1 announcement that the U.S. is pulling out of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty over concerns Russia hasn’t complied with the arms control agreement. In the survey, 52% of Americans rated the military power of Russia as a “critical threat” to U.S. vital interests. This is up from 39% in the prior measure in 2016 and from 18% in the initial 2004 reading.
Although sizeable segments of Republicans and Democrats view Russia’s military as a critical threat, the figure is higher among Democrats (65%) than Republicans (46%).
Russia Displaces North Korea as U.S. Arch Rival
Americans are now more likely to name Russia than any other country as the nation they think is the United States’ greatest enemy. Russia has displaced North Korea in the top spot, as mentions of Russia swelled from 19% in 2018 to 32% today. Meanwhile, mentions of North Korea plummeted from 51% to 14% following last year’s dialogue between the two countries over denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
China is also more likely to be seen as a top adversary this year, with 21% citing it versus 11% in 2018, pushing China into the No. 2 position while North Korea has fallen to No. 3. Iran, mentioned by 9%, continues to rank fourth, as it did in 2018.
Gallup has asked Americans to name the country they consider to be the United States’ greatest enemy 12 times since 2001. Russia ranked first in 2015, but with only 18% mentioning it. Besides North Korea, other countries cycling through the top spot include Iraq, Iran and China.
As recently as 2016 there was no difference between the parties in mentions of Russia as the top enemy. However, as federal investigations into Russia’s possible involvement with Donald Trump’s presidential campaign have revealed Russian efforts to influence the 2016 election, views have grown more partisan. Nearly half of Democrats (46%) versus 14% of Republicans now view Russia as the country’s top enemy.
While Russia is the top choice of Democrats by a wide margin over North Korea (mentioned by 17% of Democrats), Republicans are more likely to name both China (22%) and Iran (19%) as the top enemy than name Russia, while 12% name North Korea.
Russia in Prolonged Period of Poor Ratings
After nearly two decades of mostly positive favorable ratings in the U.S. following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989, Russia has consistently sparked more negative than positive ratings since 2013.
Russia’s U.S. favorable rating was 44% in February 2013, but dipped further in 2014 to 34%, after Russia had offered the former U.S. intelligence contractor-turned leaker, Edward Snowden, asylum. As Gallup noted at the time, Russia’s deteriorating image may also have reflected growing U.S.-Russia tensions over the Syrian civil war, as well as controversy over aspects of the 2014 Winter Olympics which Russia hosted.
Positive views of Russia have since dropped below 30% while more than 70% of Americans have rated it unfavorably. The 24% viewing it favorably today includes low levels of all party groups: 30% of Republicans, 23% of independents and 17% of Democrats.
Bottom Line
Even before Russian state television this weekend identified which U.S. military installations would be targeted should Russia launch nuclear strikes on the U.S., Americans had grown increasingly wary of Russia. This trend has continued under Trump, but it started during Barack Obama’s presidency.
Today, Democrats are more critical than Republicans of Russia, but even most Republicans view Russia unfavorably and half consider its military a vital threat. It remains to be seen if this broad agreement influences how Americans react to both the Mueller report concerning alleged Russian interference in U.S. elections and to future Trump policies dealing with Moscow and U.S. national defense.
Learn more about how the Gallup Poll Social Series works.
View complete question responses and trends.
The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
Those 70%+ are too stupid to realize that the real enemy is within.
No Gallup poll ever asked this American. It seems it’s a more accurate poll to determine the number of Americans who are imbeciles. This American believes the greatest enemy of the US is the US government. And Israel.
Russia is demonised merely because it interferes with the aims and goals and intentions and wants and desires of the USian “intelligentsia” wanting to preserve the role of the U.S. as the sceptre-holder (‘$’ as a modified caduceus, heralding exceptional supremacy?) of the World. Unfortunately, the mean means by which the “intelligentsia” has directed this regal or heralded role has undermined the USian image around the World and has weakened it significantly. And, even worse, few – if any – of these “smarties” were actually chosen by the people to represent them on the World stage. Russia, as it continues… Read more »
The lens on Peter Lavelle’s camera needs cleaning.
I would seriously question how many Americans in the poll really care about russia enough to know where it is on a map, much less care for how much of a threat it might be. Most people tend to care more for their next meal than a country thousands of miles away (or next door if you live in Alaska). The truth is I find the Gallup poll superficial at best with very questionable results that would fall apart once any American went to Moscow for a day (though I suspect any liberal in the group would die of culture… Read more »
Why war propaganda works, from someone who knew. “Why, of course, the people don’t want war. Why would some poor slob on a farm want to risk his life in a war when the best that he can get out of it is to come back to his farm in one piece. Naturally, the common people don’t want war; neither in Russia nor in England nor in America, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag… Read more »
The same is true the other way round: most Russians think that the US regime is Russia’s enemy number one.
Sorry Olivia,Just spent 3 mnths living in Russia.My impression was that the average joe feels sorry for Americans,because of the BS they are fed.Also the main shock is that the average joe believes it.The average by in large dose’nt fear or care what other countries think of them, they have to much to do.