World opinion of US falls again

Most of the people polled think the Iraq War is making the world a more dangerous place not less, and the opinion of us in the Arab world keeps going from low to lower--which isn't exactly a sign that terrorism is less likely because of Bush's wars. But then, another terrorist attack would be a good excuse to attack Iran, as Dick Cheney told the Pentagon last summer.

The previous Pew Poll on this was bad enough. This shows the trend is continuing.

Apparently, without Fox News, Rush Limbaugh, and Ann Coulter, the Arab world hasn't realized we are doing them a favor by killing Iraqis and restructuring their economy to favor our oil companies, corporations, and banks. (Oh wait, I forgot. The right never mentions that stuff) Or maybe they don't believe our new love for democracy in the region since we are still allies with dictators in the region like the Saudis, often the number one human rights abuser in the world, and the president of Uzbekistan, who boils his critics alive.

But those countries made deals our oil companies like, so they don't see the need to call in airstrikes to stop the beheadings and boilings.

The one piece of good news is people have a high regard for Americans in general. The albatross around our neck is Bush & his policies. A good example is Turkey. While 12% have a favorable impression of the US (pretty bad for a secular Muslim ALLY), but their favorable impression of Bush is 3%. The margin of error was 2-4%, so it is possible that he actually got a negative 1%, comparable to Bush's approval ratings with African Americans after Hurricane Katrina.

Bush does still have a slightly higher approval rating than ebola, AIDS, and cannibalism. Maybe he can build on that success.

KEY EXCERPTS:

International Herald Tribune
Image of U.S. falls again
By Brian Knowlton International Herald Tribune
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 14, 2006

WASHINGTON As the war in Iraq continues for a fourth year, the global image of America has slipped further, even among publics in countries closely allied with the United States, a new global opinion poll has found.

Favorable views of the United States dropped sharply over the past year in Spain, where only 23 percent now say they have a positive opinion, down from 41 percent in 2005, according to the survey, which was carried out in 15 nations this spring by the Pew Research Center. In Britain, Washington's closest ally in the Iraq war, positive views of America have remained in the mid-50s in the past two years, still down sharply from 75 percent in 2002.

Other countries where positive views dropped significantly include India (56 percent, down from 71 percent since 2005); Russia (43 percent, down from 52 percent); and Indonesia (30 percent, down from 38 percent).

In Turkey, a NATO ally of the United States, only 12 percent said they held a favorable opinion, down from 23 percent last year.

***

The ebbing of positive views of the United States coincides with a spike in feeling that the war in Iraq has made the world a more dangerous place. This perception was shared by majorities in 10 of the countries surveyed, including Britain, where 60 percent said the world had become more dangerous since Saddam Hussein's removal from power in 2003.

Over the past year, support for the U.S.-led fight against terrorism also declined again, Pew found.

***

Many respondents distinguished between their largely negative feelings about President George W. Bush and their feelings about ordinary Americans. Majorities in 7 countries polled had favorable views of Americans, led by Japan, at 82 percent, and Britain, at 69.

But only in India and Nigeria did majorities express confidence in Bush. In Spain, just 1 in 14 respondents registered confidence in him, as did only 1 in 33 in Turkey, an important NATO ally.

FULL TEXT:

http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/06/13/news/pew1.php


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