Smokeybear
Emperor
Oddly enough I like being around Monty and the Khan (sounds like an 80's rock band). They both respect power, and being a gun toting nut myself I rarely have a problem. Unless I choose to have one.
Heh, I have to agree on that. I never have any real problem with those two, and quite enjoy having them nearby. As you say, as long as you keep your military in decent shape, they will either leave you alone, or launch a predictable little war or two in which you can kick their pants and set them back a few hundred years while you go about your business.
They don't hold grudges (unless you deliberately do stuff to them that produces hard feelings), and you can usually do 'Friendly' trading again with them for full price, within a turn or two of them suing for peace. And they don't get all self-righteous on you just because you go kick the tar out of some other deserving civ and take their lunch money... like Washington or Ghandi are so fond of doing.
Ghandi: "My loving, peaceful nature simply cannot abide your awful warmongering!" /launches nukes on your cities
Also, you can always depend on Khan and Monty to eventually stagnate and neglect minor things like science, culture, improving their lands, or do anything but constantly pump out tons of low-level obsolete units until some other civ(s) eventually squash them like little children. Oh, toss Askia into that playpen too, while we're at it. Congenital losers, all three. But good to have for neighbors, for all their foibles.
Civ I most hate to have anywhere on the map, neighbor or no- Catherine. Every time I've played against her in recent memory, she's rapidly gobbled up everyone nearby, gone mega-science and been difficult to catch in the tech race- and been vicously aggressive most of the time. Always a good challenge, but frequently a runaway civ, unfortunately.