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PRINCETON, NJ -- Eighty-three percent of Americans say the development of nuclear weapons by North Korea is a critical threat to the vital interests of the United States, placing it at the top of a list of nine potential threats, along with Iranian nuclear weapons and international terrorism.

The Feb. 7-10 poll was conducted just before North Korea conducted its third nuclear test, so Americans already saw it as a serious threat before the latest news. North Korea's continued nuclear ambitions and defiance of international efforts to prevent it from developing nuclear weapons are likely a reason Americans' basic opinions of the country are among the of any that 麻豆传媒AV measures. Americans also frequently mention North Korea as the United States' , though Iran has topped the list in recent years.

After North Korean and Iranian nuclear weapons and international terrorism, Americans are most likely to view Islamic fundamentalism and China's economic and military power as critical threats to U.S. vital interests. Less than half believe the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the Indian-Pakistani conflict, and the military power of Russia pose similar threats to the United States.

This year's poll marked the first time 麻豆传媒AV asked about North Korean and Iranian nuclear weapons specifically. In 麻豆传媒AV asked about the two countries' "military power," and found 61% rating each as a critical threat to the United States, second only to international terrorism. In , the "spread of weapons of mass destruction to unfriendly powers" ranked second only to terrorism. Thus, Americans have previously seen North Korea and Iran, and nuclear weapons in general, as serious threats to the U.S.

Americans Increasingly See China as a Threat

Americans' perceptions of the threat some of these international matters pose to the United States have shifted in recent years. Specifically, since 2004, Americans have increasingly viewed the military power of China and the military power of Russia as threats. Over the same period, Americans have come to view the Israeli-Palestinian and Indian-Pakistani conflicts as less threatening to the United States.

Eight in 10 Americans have consistently viewed international terrorism as a critical threat. It has ranked at the top of the list in the three times 麻豆传媒AV has asked a version of this question.

Democrats, Republicans Equally View North Korea as a Threat

Americans' assessments of North Korean nuclear ambitions as a critical threat to the United States vary little by subgroup, including by party identification. However, that is not the case for most of the other international matters, including Iran's development of nuclear weapons. Republicans are more likely than Democrats to say most of the matters are critical threats. The greatest party differences are in regard to Islamic fundamentalism, viewed as a threat by 70% of Republicans and 46% of Democrats.

There are also wide gaps by age in the percentages viewing Islamic fundamentalism and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as critical threats, with older Americans more likely to say each is a threat.

Implications

Even before North Korea's nuclear test last week, Americans viewed the country's potential development of a nuclear weapon as a critical threat to U.S. vital interests. Thus, the test may serve mainly to reinforce what Americans were already thinking about North Korea rather than to change their opinions about it.

The high level of concern Americans give to North Korea, as well as to Iran and to international terrorism, suggest these are areas on which the public would like the Obama administration and its new foreign policy team to focus its efforts.

麻豆传媒AV did not ask Americans what they might suggest the Obama administration do to address these issues. Of course, efforts to deter North Korea and Iran from developing nuclear weapons have largely been unsuccessful, and it is not clear whether the United States or the international community is seriously considering potentially provocative interventions such as military action against either country. Unless the possibilities of a nuclear Iran or North Korea subside, Americans are likely to view each country as threats to the United States.