The Economist Intelligence Unit has for the first time compiled a peace index, listing 121 countries according to peacefulness, based on 24 criteria. (The Economist: Give peace a rating) Norway comes out on top, followed by New Zealand, Denmark, Ireland and Japan. The bottom rung of shame is made up of (from the bottom up) Iraq, Sudan, Israel, Russia and Nigeria. Belgium in No 11, China No 60, the U.S. No 96. (The Guardian: Norway rated world's most peaceful country)
You can find the list at PRNewswire: First Global Peace Index Ranks 121 Countries.
Every list is a bit arbitrary, from the best restaurants to the best rock songs,... Even if the list is based on scientific criteria, the bare listing doesn't tell you much. Sure, Norway is pretty peaceful and Iraq definitely is not. But why is Belgium (11) more peaceful than the Netherlands (No 20), Taiwan (36) more peaceful than China (60), Vietnam (35) more peaceful than Madagascar (41)? Japan (5) wouldn't rank so high if it wasn't sheltering under the American nuclear umbrella. Without a detailed description of the underlying parameters, the list doesn't tell you much.
One of the major criteria should be whether a country has military bases or soldiers abroad. China doesn't have any (except for U.N. peace keepers), while Belgian soldiers are patrolling Kabul airport. You can legally buy a gun in Belgium, but not in China. The EIU should explain its methodology.
China deserves better, while the U.S. should be at the very bottom. The U.S. is the major exporter of war and destruction and the cause of Iraq's mess.
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