WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Iceland is the world’s most peaceful nation while the United States is ranked among the bottom third, according to a study released on Tuesday. The “Global Peace Index,” compiled by the Economist Intelligence Unit, ranked the United States 97th out of 140 countries according to how peaceful they were domestically and how they interacted with the outside world. Iraq, which the United States invaded in 2003, leading to the toppling of Saddam Hussein, ranked lowest on the index. Afghanistan, another country invaded by the United States this decade, was also in the bottom five, along with Sudan, Somalia and Israel.
Commenting on the U.S. ranking, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said to realize a more peaceful and prosperous world, “Often times, you have to do difficult things and a lot of times, people don’t agree with them. They don’t like them.” “A lot of times you fall down in these lists but at the end of the day it is in defense of democracy and the way of life we have enjoyed over the past several decades,” he added. Its image has also been damaged by the prisoner abuse scandal at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq and the detention of terrorism suspects at Guantanamo Bay naval base in Cuba. The index looks at 24 indicators of external and internal measures of peace, including U.N. deployments overseas and levels of violent crime, respect for human rights, the number of soldiers killed overseas and arms sales.
Better luck next year.
Good for Icelend. Someone remind me to visit there, some day.
I wonder what the ranking would have been had we always acted pursuant to multi-lateral UN Sanctioned engagements? Regardless, we wouldn’t be “as bankrupt” as we are now. Thanks Bush.
Of course Iceland is the world’s most peaceful nation, after all we, in the United States provide them with aid and weapons to fight against their enemies! Oh.. wait, that’s Israel. OMD sorry.. bt
According to the list, Kuwait, Mozambique, Libya, Cuba, and Rwanda all ranked higher than the U.S.
And I wouldn’t want to live in any of those places.
And Jamaica (at 96th) is only slightly less peaceful than the U.S. Funny, I don’t remember Jamaica invading anywhere looking for WMDs.
Trinidad and Tobago are ranked at 98. Those War-mongering bastards!
Even so, there is a huge number of folks trying to get into the USA – legally and illegally.
I don’t see much news coverage about the Immigration Issue in Iceland.
This survey is meaningless bunk.
Of course Iceland is peaceful. It is too isolated, unpopulated, and too damn cold most of the time to go out and raise some hell.
Tow Iceland down to a nice toasty warm latitude where most of the “troublesome” countries reside (hint – between 30 degrees on each side of the equator). Then fill it with religious nutter refuges, or an angry indigenous population, and see how peaceful it stays.
Lot of ignorant folks visiting, today.
BTW, partying in Iceland rocks if you think you can drink along with the locals. And the fishing is a gas.
It was in Iceland that Bobby Fischer finally found both peace and freedom. Think about it.
Democracy= that 51% of the people THINK it should BE..
When was the last time 51% of the people in the USA had a vote counted??
say the SAME, for ANY state in the union..
AND then when Montana voted on MJ, with the largest turn out in history, and PASSED the bill…the STATE said…NOPE, you cant do that.
#8. Did he take Debbie or Elizabeth?
This survey must have been compiled by a bunch of hippies sitting around a campfire smoking a bong. First, geography has a huge role to play. Iceland, being an island, has natural borders. There is no threat of invasion. Second, they have almost no natural resources. In other words, the inventive for someone to take what they have is minimal. Third, they do not have to devote any money to defense thanks to the NATO countries. Fourth, because the population is tiny, they do not consume a lot of natural resources. Under those conditions, it is no wonder they are considered the most peaceful. I’m sure if Antarctica or the Moon qualified, they would win too.
Hummm,,, Iceland is the most peaceful? Well, since we know they harbor Al-Qaeda terrorists, have WMD’s, and are bent on taking over the world, well…
LET’S INVADE ICELAND!!!
NOW We’ll see who’s the most peaceful!!! 😀
McCullough hates America and every thing about this country. These sort of storys make him feel good.
#13, Edie,
And you just aren’t funny.
I was going to say something but #11 Thomas said it as well as it can be put.
US too busy TRYING TO LOOT EVERY OTHER NATION ON EARTH to notice !!! It’s what EVIL EMPIRES DO !!! The US has in it’s State Department, it’s CIA, and it’s NSA “Desks” for EVERY NATION ON EARTH; and it ‘s their job to figure out how to “Access” whatever resources that other nation has for the benefit of the US. If they need to OVERTHROW THE CURRENT LEADER (think Allende) – they will do so, or they will try, like the Three Stooges to do so (think Castro), or they will INVADE AND SET UP CO-OPERATIVE PUPPETS (think IRAQ) !!! The Shadow Government of the US ( made up of the RICHEST ) SIMPLY WANT ***EVERYTHING ON THE EARTH***, AND WILL STOP AT NOTHING TO GET IT !!! They don’t have time to stop and smell the roses, WHEN THERE IS SO MUCH STEALING AND MURDERING TO DO !!!
Stumbled on this today. Wild police chase in Reykjavik:
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=115_1187539025
Im happy to see New Zealand ranked second… I know it’s a peaceful place but I didnt know it was that peaceful 🙂