Opinion: America’s greatest enemy: Who do you think it is?

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Just a quick update on America’s top enemies list so you know who to be hating over the weekend: Iran.

Again.

Iran’s been the top bad guy in American eyes since 2006.

A new Gallup Poll out this morning confirms the mullah-run theocracy is seen as the greatest enemy of America, with 25% saying that. All despite President Obama’s ongoing attempted diplomatic outreach to Iran, so far universally rebuffed.

The second worst black hat, according to the new data, is North Korea, the isolated hermit kingdom run by Kim Jong Il, the beloved dear little fellow who turned 69 Wednesday at a birthday blowout with a bigger flag than yours.

But wait, ladies and gentlemen, we actually have a tie for second greatest enemy of America at 16%:

China, the rising economic superpower whose President Hu was just feted by Obama at a White House state dinner. Did someone check the silver after Hu left? We do owe China an awful lot of money.

With the decline of attention to U.S. troops fighting in Iraq, that country has slid down the enemies list to fifth place at 7%.

That means it’s given way to fourth place Afghanistan (9%), where some 100,000 U.S. troops are now fighting insurgents. Although Obama has promised they won’t be there for long, unless they have to be, which seems likely.

Russia is the sixth-ranking enemy at 3% followed by -- wait for it -- the United States itself, which 2% of Americans see as their own worst enemy.

There are age differences too. Older Americans pick Iran as top enemy; younger Americans list North Korea. But there’s tripartisan agreement among Republicans, Democrats and independents: Iran is the baddest baddie.

Earlier this month Gallup reported that by a lopsided 52%-to-32% margin, Americans have decided that China is winning the future and become the world’s leading economic power, surpassing their homeland. If only we had $53 billion more in high-speed trains.

-- Andrew Malcolm

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