U.S. ranks 96 in new peace index

Heckuva job, Republicans!

"Anyway, how could it be that the U.S. came in at 96?"

Well, if you use the Tim Walberg method, Detroit and Chicago must drag us down, especially since they're as safe as parts of Iraq, which ranked last.

I guess Naperville's safety didn't pull its own weight this time around.

This is what the right will call a non-story. Thats why we rank 96.

Norway, New Zealand and Denmark led the index in that order. Canada was the leading Western Hemisphere nation on the list, coming in eighth...

---------
Gee, I wonder why these countries are not being attacked by the "rabid, Islamic terrorists who hate freedom and want to kill us all"? These countries don't have walls on their borders, they don't have unregulated domestic spying, they don't have a Guantanamo prison, they don't have a giant homeland security bureau (what a joke).

Could they be peaceful because, unlike us, they pretty much leave the rest of the world alone to run their own countries?

Tip tap tip tap....whats that sound? It must be Bruce working feverlishly to find some shred of info to make this a liberal smear campaign. One of these guys must have like a cousin or something that once gave the democrats like $50 or something.

Cue Bruce attack on Archbishop Desmond Tutu and HH Dalai Lama as lefties controlled by George Soros.

So Jimmy Carter is one of the rankers, and I do mean "rank"ers. Hmmm, Jimmy, how's your buddy Hugo Chavez doing? Real nice situation you approve of there, isn't it Jimmy, er Peanut-brain, er Eternal Ex-President Dumbass?

Wow, that name-calling was so much fun! Now watch all the Loons start whining about the mean name calling and personal attacks! What's good for Chimpy and Darth sure is as good for Peanut-brain.

The US has the largest prison population in the world, and still with a big portion of our population behind bars we are at #96 for peace.

Bill H. hit the nail on the head - peaceful countries don't feel the need to meddle in world affairs.

It boggles my mind why the republicans fails to see the simple solution to combat terrorism: The USA should mind it's own business. Get out of the middle east ALTOGETHER. Peace will follow.

Wow, that name-calling was so much fun! Now watch all the Loons start whining about the mean name calling and personal attacks! What's good for Chimpy and Darth sure is as good for Peanut-brain.

Posted by: John D | May 30, 2007 12:48:44 PM

No, Johnny D, we just chalk it up your usual inane, irrelevent ranting.

We're just impressed that you didn't call for Carter to be put in front of a firing squad.

Amen to that, Dan.

There is no leftie group too obscure, no anti-American "study" too bizarre, for the increasingly bizarre Frank James.

In this case one of the index criteria for "world peace" is a country's PRISON POPULATION!!!

So if we throw Lindsey Lohan in jail for drunk driving, that lessens world peace?

This "study" by the Economist (which endorsed John Kerry in 2004) is being laughed at throughout the right wing blogosphere. We don't even take it seriously enough to criticize it. See

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1841991/posts

for more laughing at it--and the people stupid enoguh to take it seriously.

Remember that Kim Il-Sung was visionary and eloquent to Jimmy.

Yeah, we have enough problems WITHIN our own country to deal with before meddling in others affairs. Perfectly put Dan.

Dan and Ashley, was the U.S. "minding" its business in the 1990s when we targets of terrorism too?

But as usual the Loony Lefters are blaming the U.S.

Maybe we should mind our own business. Then we should do nothing to stop the slaughter in Darfur, do nothing to help the AIDS problem in Africa, not helped after the tsunami, not helped Central Americans after Hurricane Mitch, etc.

Let's just mind our own business in every way possible. Is that OK?

re: Posted by: John D | May 30, 2007 12:48:44 PM

um, well, sir, according to your whitehouse, carter is "irrelevant"; so, unless you missed the directive from dear leader, you shouldn't be exercising your little head with a trifle like carter anyway.

learn consistency, son. it's not the hobgoblin of little minds; it's some small evidence that you're not a twit.

Peaceful Nations? Hmm and Austrailian Industrialist funds a study that finds the countries he does the most business with are the most peaceful countries? Am I the only one seeing hypocracy here?

Just get out of the Middle East entirely and peace will follow? Are you MAD?

May I strongly suggest you try a little something called History? Isolationism got us World War 1, and when we didn't learn the lesson World War 2. Controlling outbreaks of violence at a local level has given us the longest period without a War between Major Powers since the ROMAN EMPIRE.

Those who do not study history are doomed to repeat it. Robert E. Lee

Jeff C -- actually, if you'd do just a SMALL amount of research, you'd find that Detroit, while being ranked as the US 2nd most dangerous city, Chicago - per a separate ranking due to the state of Illinois categorizing rape in the same cat. as sodomy and the like, ranked 52nd.

Keep on showing your suburbun "schmarts" and we'll keep bending you over.

I can't believe there are still people who believe that Jihadist's are just looking for peace like many of these posters and the article suggest.

THEY WANT TO KILL US BECAUSE WE ARE INFIDELS. Not because we are not peaceful. When they aren't fighting us, they fight each other.

Remember 9/11, Pearl Harbor, the Nazi invasion of France, Soviet invasion of Afganistan? Wars are mostly about the destruction of the weak or naive. The US and other large responsible powers are about protecting them. Thats why Norway, Denmark and the rest of them can be peaceful.

Nice to see that, as usual, some people here don't even bother to read the story or check the link to the actual report to see who was actually involved in the gathering & sorting the research data before blindly lashing out at people they think might have been involved.

All Americans should feel shame and disgust at this sad state of our nation.
The Republicans for promoting war, torture, wire tapping, prying into the bedrooms of the people, abusing the right to choice. WE are grinding our way to a fascist country.
The liberals for all the above for not being out in the streets, calling, writing to our representatives, sitting on our couches, and letting this violation of our Constitution, and ethics, and world respect that so many of our men and women have died to preserve.

it's carter's fault we're such a violent nation?

now that's what I call a red-herring.

now, have you all heard the latest? The White House wants to fight a beef company's right to check all their cattle for diseases. You got that right. Our nation's leaders believe that we must go to war against good a busines because it "could hurt the beef industry if any diseases are found" & "it would increase pressures on larger companies to run more tests".

These sort of government priorities will surely get us over the hump and into the 100's next year.

"Controlling outbreaks of violence at a local level has given us the longest period without a War between Major Powers since the ROMAN EMPIRE."

The major powers all having large quantities of Nuclear weapons has given us the longest period without a War between Major Powers since the ROMAN EMPIRE.

Hate to point out that us top ranking nations (I'm from New Zealand) might be too cold for those rapid Islamists or are Islands. :)

Secondly peaceful New Zealand currently actually has special forces deployed to Afghanistan plus military engineers there and Iraq. We have been involved in the intervention in East Timor plus the Solomon Islands plus 10 other hot (& cold) spots - http://www.army.mil.nz/army-overseas/operations/default.htm

ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!!!jimmy carter an expert on anything????boy, let me think how good things were under him, with 18% inflation, gas wars, hostages and capitulation, and a sub 30% approval rating...guess he's a genius from the couch...what was our ranking then???and all you lemmings out there that were part of W's 92% approval a few years ago, and now the loudest mouthed detractors, get a life...if you think the greatest superpower in the world, economically and militarily doesn't come with some responsibilities, go back to smoking your bong...any dynasty takes maintenance and defense, especially when there is a rather real and brutal opponent, willing to target your families, children, and the innocent...not every response works out well, but no response????if you ridiculous left wing ranters think that being nice and ignoring those nice people out there, who strap bombs to their kids and target schools, malls, planes, and by the way, world trade centers, pentagons etc...you are living on another planet...if the u.s. just isolates itself, the world problems will not all go away...disease will not vanish, quarrelling groups will not find the love, despots will cease to exist, and peoples living in squallor will not magically develop and industrialize...ONCE AGAIN, CONSTRUCTIVE CRITISISM AND POLITICAL INVOLVEMENT IS BOTH ALLOWED AND ENCOURAGED IN THE GOOD OLE U.S.of A....but this vile america hating and government hating only fuels our enemies perception of us...and with a former president, lending creedence to such an absurd skewed study????by the way jimmy, you still have four more years of eligibility to straighten this mess out and take us straight to #1...and when you get back in the white house we will replace you on the peace train with GW. to assess your success...

Alex, I saw the story you mention.

We can shorten it to:

Republicans: Yay e-coli! Boo free enterprise!

"May I strongly suggest you try a little something called History?....Controlling outbreaks of violence at a local level has given us the longest period without a War between Major Powers since the ROMAN EMPIRE....

Those who do not study history are doomed to repeat it. Robert E. Lee
Posted by: Bryan Brown | May 30, 2007 3:28:32 PM"

I am sure this is great consolation to the 50 million people who have been killed in those pesky but seemingly irrelevant to BB proxy and brush fire wars since WWII NOT waged by so-called "major powers," yet in their behalf. All it meant was that a LOT of brown, yellow and indigenous people got off-ed instead of white folks.
Studying history? I wonder what advice Robert E. Lee (or Santayana if you prefer) would have give about Iraq after VietNam?

"Norway, New Zealand and Denmark led the index in that order. Canada was the leading Western Hemisphere nation on the list, coming in eighth... Could they be peaceful because, unlike us, they pretty much leave the rest of the world alone to run their own countries?"

Those countries have nothing - yes they leave the world alone. I don't see them sending assistance to Africa for aids? Why aren't they sending troops to Darfur? These countries pretty much hide in the corner and hope they aren't noticed by the Islamic Headchoppers.

By the way, I think Canada had a terrorist threat earlier this year.

Hmmm, I think the article could have also reported that the research was led by five professors from various universities around the world and executive directors of reputable research organisations who all focus on peace issues,

... not that there is anything wrong with Nobel Peace Prize winners like Jimmy Carter, the Dalai Lama, and Desmond Tutu, endorsing a Global Peace Index!

THEY WANT TO KILL US BECAUSE WE ARE INFIDELS. Not because we are not peaceful.

Wars are mostly about the destruction of the weak or naive. The US and other large responsible powers are about protecting them.

Posted by: Gregg L. | May 30, 2007 3:47:02 PM

Well Gregg, what infidel country has this jihadist army of supermen invaded and taken over? Are you saying they are starting with the US?

On your second point above, I am sure the families of all the dead Iraqi civilians will take great comfort in knowing we did it all to protect them. Did you ride the short bus?

get out of the middle east. are you insane! we might as well change our ranking from 96 to 119 if we leave Iraq and Afghanistan. Think before you act! (I don't think Bush did that though)

Bill H

The Isalmic Headchoppers have made strong headway in Thailand and the Phillapiens. Let's not forget Somalia, Kenya, and the Sudan along with many countries in the middle east.

"Maybe we should mind our own business. Then we should do nothing to stop the slaughter in Darfur, do nothing to help the AIDS problem in Africa, not helped after the tsunami, not helped Central Americans after Hurricane Mitch, etc.

Let's just mind our own business in every way possible. Is that OK?"

John D

Hmmm, the kool aid is wearing off again just enough to see the logic behind why the US stinks at being a peaceful country.

Have we invaded Africa to help with AIDS? Did we invade any country to help out tsunami victims?

I didn't think so.

Time to go back & not do cardio to stay in shape. Typing these keys is causing my heart rate to go up. Got to follow Rush Limbaugh's examples.

Oh No!!
'96' in the peace index.
More fuel for Michael Moore!! After all we ranked '27' in healthcare.
What a joke!

The Isalmic Headchoppers have made strong headway in Thailand and the Phillapiens. Let's not forget Somalia, Kenya, and the Sudan along with many countries in the middle east.

Posted by: Terry | May 30, 2007 8:25:19 PM
-----------

OK Terry, and which one have they conquered and taken over? What results have they shown that leads you to believe they will do anything more than annoy the US? Are you another short busser? or an RNC Dope?

That Israel was not the absolute last, after the US, is surprising.

Israelis are the most vicious and barbaric animals on this planet, right there with the
self-righteous American Fundamentalist Christians.

Never before in modern history two nations been so bastardly murderous, with the specialty of
killing little helpless kids.

Although the Iranian president didn't actually said this, but whipping Israel off the map, to the last Zionist, will be good for humanity.

The comments from the absolutely pathetic idiots here, whom reflect the rambling of that Big
Fat Idiot Limbaugh, and all those irrelevant FOX morons, is predictable, repetitive and narrow-
mindedly stupid.

The Islamic Headchoppers have made strong headway in Thailand and the Philippines. Let's not forget Somalia, Kenya, and the Sudan along with many countries in the middle east.
Posted by: Terry

So why aren't we fighting them in those countries then or in Waziristan where they have their headquarter? They where not in Iraq until after we got there and opened that Saddam's Box. This war has been just a whack at a hornets nest.

We have to fight them with force and wisdom; not force and rhetoric and more force; it is not working

My first visit to this blog and, sheesh, sounds like you have some ideological regulars here who just bash along predictable lines. Social pollution. I do hope others here will learn to ignore it. Response fuels an evangelist's need for traction.

Anywho, a somewhat interesting survey. Sounds like the researchers are aware which areas are relatively subjective plus included criteria with their conclusions. Given they weighted functional democracy it's no surprise the US slid down the list. Our citizen representational model is hardly representative anymore. People of all stripes and nationalities recognize that. Couple representation with incarceration rates and, as someone(s) above pointed out, we really do score poorly in this assessment. Both points qualify as valid measures of a society's 'at-peace' posture, IMO.

"Those countries have nothing - yes they leave the world alone. I don't see them sending assistance to Africa for aids? Why aren't they sending troops to Darfur? These countries pretty much hide in the corner and hope they aren't noticed by the Islamic Headchoppers."

Bad news, we do more for those countries than you ever did.

We give more and we have more people over there trying to help. Unlike you who who will only ever do something if there is a profit to be made. I am sorry but we are peaceful because that is what we want, we also control guns, sorry but the truth hurts.

Coming from a country that ranks in at 25th (Australia) I'm surprised we are not a lot further down the list.
Our government has slavishly followed Bush's lead in foreign policy and its only a matter of time before our soldiers start dying in Iraq and as a small country population wise, we are sometimes as belligerent as the USA but without the muscle to back it up.
I'm thankful for many things done by the USA for the greater good but by crikey, Iraq was a big mistake.
As for aid to natural disasters I think you might want to do some research into per capita rates of assistance. Be prepared for some shocks.
Right and Left are two pods in a pea when US domestic politics are concerned surely?

Oh dear. The Americans are up in arms about why they are #96, and New Zealand and other countries are much higher. As a Kiwi, I can tell you that America is NOT a democracy. How do you justify having a President who garners fewer votes than his rival yet still gets in? How do you justify the vote rigging that went on in Florida? The nepotism? The hundreds of millions spent on malicious advertising, with the money coming from shady lobby groups? How do you justify a legal system where the richest guy wins? A Supreme court that is politically appointed with the aim of stacking the court?

How do you justify the wars that your country wages in the name of peace, but with the goal of profit?

And how do you justify toppling Saddam? Oh yes, he was a bad man, but who funded him? America. Oh yes, Iraq was a haven for terrorists, but who has only made the situation worse? America. Shame America, shame.

New Zealand would be unable to defend itself if it were ever invaded. But that is what friends are for. That is what being nice is for. Has that ever crossed your minds? Friends help other friends. But one does not make friends by illegally invading countries, and threatening to nuke those who disagree with you (read Reagan and Iran). Enemies do not attack those who pose them no threat, or those who offer them no profit.

New Zealand. We are insignificant. We are nice. We are safe.

This whole thing is a joke. You see, folks, the scale does not simply judge countries based on their objective manifestations of "peace" - like we might normally think - e.g. the relative absence of violence. This isn't the stuff that floats the rankers boat.

Oh, no. We are being judged on our "culture of peace" (e.g. the positive environment that cultivates peaceful coexistence) or lack thereof. This is why military buildups, access to small arms, mistrust between peoples, and the number of people imprisoned (among others) work against a country's ranking. The existence of these factors have a negative impact because they make for an environment more conducive to violence. This is why India, Russia, Columbia, Thailand and numerous African nations (among others) are ranked worse than the United States - even though none of them are currently involved in a foreign war, and few of them have significant regional conflicts.

I dunno. I think putting evil and violent people in prison is a more practical, peaceful solution than letting them roam free to victimize others. Ditto for having a gun to stop a violent intruder instead of laying on a morgue slab yourself. I also think that military buildups are necessary to the extent they deter others from attacking or invading us. Trust is something that is earned.

The fact is, we will never get a better score without changing ourselves and our culture. It's not just the government or our foreign policy. I don't see those changes happening anytime soon. So maybe we should just ignore this utopian scale and take the practical approach of working to diminish violence.

DH from new zealand, it sure is nice to know america doesn't have a monopoly on ignorance...unfortunately you sound as if you recently attended one of our fine colleges over here, or worse, are a transplant masquerading as a kiwi...one way or another, your depiction of our undemocratic country run by a cheating despot who wages war for no good reason is rather shallow, inaccurate, and smacks of the same sound bites as our liberal left...it is easy to sit on a sleepy insignificant island and slam the super power that allows you to criticize from your sleepy little island...however, last i knew, your government was still an ally of our despot and worse had troops committed to his illegal war...taking pot shots at america may be great sport for you, but every move we make has world wide impact while nothing you do has any impact on anything...

Actually, kb, I'm afraid DH from New Zeeland hit the nail squarely on the head with his/her entire post. America is in sad shape these days - so sad that those who still wave flags and profess their pride to be an American should probably open their eyes a bit, do a little reading, and find out just what they're proud of. It's quite shameful.

Before you all post the predictable but tired "you're free to move to another country" line - wouldn't that be what you back-woods conservatives refer to as "cut and run" - wouldn't that be hypocritical? Believe me, the thought of moving elsewhere has crossed my mind many, many times since Bush stole the election - however for now I prefer to stay and try to effect change by doing my small part to make this country great again.

KB, as much as we all enjoyed your interesting comments about DH being an ignorant and reveled as you showed us how proud it makes you that the moves of the US have a global impact, it would be nice, as well, to hear you refute any of the facts he so respectfully exposed.
And about that impact you talk about, is there a possibility that it would be more of a negative thing? I found the "whack at a hornet's nest" analogy SkinTight made of some of the US "freedon fights" abroad was quite accurate.

Kb, fortunately I actually know a kiwi who loves America, thinks we are a great country with great people. I am in contact with him every day.
DH is nothing but a byproduct of the Loony Leftwing Media Hate U.S. Machine.

DH is an idiot. New Zealand isn't left alone because it's nice, or because it has friends -- it's in the middle of the freaking South Pacific!

DH, what did the Balinese ever do to deserve multiple suicide bomb attacks in 2002 and 2003? Aren't they among the nicest people on the planet?

DH, what did New Zealand do when France sent its agents into one of your harbors to murder Greenpeace activists? That's right, you gave them right back. Because you are spineless.

Your post is long on rhetoric but short on facts. For example, you say the 2000 election proves America is not a "democracy," since Gore won the popular vote (and one of his votes was mine). But if you actually knew what you were talking about, you would have known that the US is technically a federal republic, and that our political system has always allowed for the slight possibility that a candidate could win the election with fewer popular votes but more electoral votes, in a system designed to be as politically inclusive as possible. It's a system that has worked remarkably well for over 200 years over a continental-sized nation with an extraordinarily diverse population.

Bruce said:

"This "study" by the Economist (which endorsed John Kerry in 2004) is being laughed at throughout the right wing blogosphere. We don't even take it seriously enough to criticize it."
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

And no wonder!

The Bush team comes in last in practically every endeavor. So when the score is tallied the Bush team comes in either last or near last. And let the right wing blogosphere laugh. Actually the right wing blogosphere should be crying but some don't watch the condition of the country. Laughing could be a substitute of crying.

Pick any TASK that the Bush team has attempted and tell this FORUM about it. Pick any Bush team task that the right wing blogosphere could say America should be proud of then "TELL AMERICA".

The right wing blogsphere may be laughing, but look closely at their eyes. If they are sensitive to poor political performance, you should see tears.

Skintight,

maybe loosen up and the blood to upper extremities will flow again.

Why aren't we fighting the headchoppers in Thailand, Somalia, etc...?

Back in 2002-03 it was a widely held belief that the WMD's that were possesed by Iraq, which could cause damage to the ol' USA. Also, we are taking the heqadchoppers on in the home turf - Afghanistan. Our military is stretched pretty thin as it is - remember the peace dividend.

Remember these quotes:

"He'll use those weapons of mass destruction again as he has 10 times since 1983."

"Hussein has chosen to spend his money on building weapons of mass destruction and palaces for his cronies."

"If Saddam rejects peace, and we have to use force, our purpose is clear: We want to seriously diminish the threat posed by Iraq's weapons of mass destruction program."

"We know that he has stored nuclear supplies, secret supplies of biological and chemical weapons throughout his country."

"In the four years since the inspections, intelligence reports show that Saddam Hussein has worked to rebuild his chemical and biological weapons stock, his missile delivery capability and his nuclear program."

In relevant part, bezelt posted (above):

"The Bush team comes in last in practically every endeavor. So when the score is tallied the Bush team comes in either last or near last. And let the right wing blogosphere laugh. Actually the right wing blogosphere should be crying but some don't watch the condition of the country. Laughing could be a substitute of crying.

Pick any TASK that the Bush team has attempted and tell this FORUM about it. Pick any Bush team task that the right wing blogosphere could say America should be proud of then 'TELL AMERICA'."

Dear bezelt,

You should do what I did. I went and read the global peace index report, which includes its reasons for scoring countries differently than others. The report can still be found at http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/news_theswamp/files/global_peace_index.pdf

When you read it, you will immediately discover the index is not a referrendum against Bush and the neo-cons; at least not in large part. It is a judgment against our country for not having a "culture of peace." There are many aspects of the index that have nothing to do with our foriegn policy or the fact we are now engaged in two separate, major military actions on the other side of the planet. Much of the score depends on our domestic institutions and laws as well. This is why (as I previously pointed out) there are a significant number of countries ranked lower than the U.S. that aren't at war and haven't been at war for a long time.

However tempting it may be, we cannot objectively blame Bush or his cronies for all of the factors that caused such a low score on the Global Peace Index. Bush, for example, simply isn't responsible for all the people we have in prison (and imprisonment figures ARE a part of the index). Most people are in prison as a result of violating the laws of some State. I can go on with this for a while, but I respect you enough to believe you can read the report for yourself and see what I'm talking about. Do it to it.

John W. Said(in part):

Dear bezelt,

You should do what I did. I went and read the global peace index report, which includes its reasons for scoring countries differently than others. The report can still be found at http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/news_theswamp/files/global_peace_index.pdf

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Thanks for the information John W. I am now in the process of reading that 44 page PDF document.

The process that was used in creating the Index makes for interesting reading. While I honestly believe that Ex President Jimmy Carter would find that document compelling, I think no such thing for President Bush. I would guess that the Bush team would classify that document as IRRELAVANT - right along with climate change and other things.

No one is saying that the Bush team is responsible for the magnitude of the jail population in America; however, many can't help but feel the very CORE of the Bush team's leadership is negative for a large segment of America's population.

It is difficult to imagine the Bush team wanting to "micro-manage" in the prison population area. And based on the Bush team's PERFORMANCE in other areas, the prison population is likely better off not getting direct help from the Bush team.

The Bush team's political strategy, in America seems to be based upon dividing America. And that, of course, is for political reasons. Perhaps, too much of what the Bush team does is for political reasons. America's laws sometimes fall victim to political reasons.

It seems that the Bush team's behavior is so unlike other President's behaviors that it must shield itself from the huge vocal American "backlash" toward the Bush team's "out of the box" management style.

Reality seems to be a manipulative variable in the hands of the Bush team. The Bush team does not seem to see, hear or respond to feedback from its activities.

The Bush team seems to march to the beat of a different drummer.

My observations:

A big factor in this was easy access to guns. That's why Switzerland, with a policy of neutrality and never getting involved in any wars ever, comes in only #14. They have wide access to guns. I don't agree with this assessment. One of the Economist's flaws is that it is so against guns. If more of the repressed Africans under those tyrannical regimes that I read about every week in The Economist had access to guns, maybe those dictators wouldn't be living the high life on the backs of their hard-working and suffering citizens. Guns are not always bad, and they are necessary for citizens to keep the government in check. The first thing Hitler did was take the guns away from everyone, including the Jews. How could they fight back against the Gestapo? They couldn't.

My observations:
1.) Japan is #5 because they are legally required to not involve themselves in wars because they STARTED one of the biggest worldwide wars ever.
2.)"relations with neighbours"-- New Zealand has no neighbors except Australia. Islands automatically have a pass on this one.
3.) France is only peaceful because they even refuse to participate in UN peacekeeping missions, which actually should bring them down in the rankings.. peacekeeping missions are keeping the peace, right?
4.)Maybe Britain spends less, but they spend a LOT per capita and they are involved in the Iraq War; if they hadn't gone to war with us we may not have gone. So why are they so high? Just because they don't have guns? They also have alarming rates of incarceration. I'm puzzled.
5.) Does this include the fact that Iran is violating the nuclear non-proliferation treaty it signed and trying to build a nuclear weapon and lying about it?
6.)Israel may not be peaceful, but I would say that neither is China. If you're bringing human rights and civil liberties into it, how could China rank so high? Is it worse to have guns available than to control all media and lie to your people? To execute prisoners when you need some extra organs for transplants? To persecute religions? To poison food sent to other countries to save a few bucks?
7.) South Korea peaceful? This is quite possibly only because the US troops there keep the peace between N. Korea and S. Korea. It's ludicrous to rank them so high, honestly.

Gotta say this list is a joke. It really makes The Economist look BAD. And I'm actually a fan of The Economist.