perhaps u do not understand, YES the US has the highest debt in terms of DOLLARS in teh world, but it also has the highest GDP

in terms of GDP that external debt is roughly 100% of the GDP

according to a CNBC article from earlier this year referencing worldbank statistics, 19 other nations had higher external debt as % of GDP, 18 of them in Europe and also Australia which was like 120% or something. UK was 2nd with 450% and Ireland was 1st with over 1200%