Public's Views of Global Threats Facing the U.S. % saying each isa
Following the beheading of American journalist James Foley, two-thirds of the public (67%) cite ISIS as a major threat to the U.S. About two-in-ten (21%) name the Islamic militant group in Iraq and Syria as a “minor threat” and just 5% say it is not a threat.
Half of the sample was asked about ISIS and the other half was asked about the broader threat of “Islamic extremist groups like al Qaeda,” which registered similar concern (71% major threat, 19% minor threat, 6% not a threat).
In light of the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, roughly half (52%) believe the spread of infectious diseases between countries is a major threat and four-in-ten (40%) label it a minor threat. However, the public shows less concern today about the international spread of diseases than it did in May 2001: About two-thirds (66%) then said it was a major threat, following an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in the U.K. and the ongoing “mad cow disease” .
About half (48%) label the continuing conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians as a major threat to the U.S. The same share rates China’s emergence as a world power and global climate change as major.
Public's Views of Global Threats Facing the U.S.  | % saying each isa  | Minor threat  | Not a threat DK  | Major threat  | Islamic extremist groups like  | 71  | 19 6  | all Qaeda  | ISIS militant group  | 67  | 21 5  | Iran's nuclear program  | 59  | 28 9  | N. Korea"s nuclear program  | 57  | 30 9  | Tension between Russia & neighbors  | 35 8  | 53  | Spread of infectious diseases  | 52  | 40 6  | China s emergence as a world power  | 48  | 33-14  | Global climate change  | 48  | 30 20  | Israelit-Palestinian conflict  | 48  | 33 13  | Survey conducted August.20-24, 2014. Figures may notadd to 100% because ofrounding  | PEW RESEARCH CENTER/USA TODAY 