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Politics : Formerly About Advanced Micro Devices -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Taro who wrote (290896)	6/14/2006 6:37:16 AM
From: Road Walker	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1577890

New poll shows US image sinking abroad by Isabel Malsang Tue Jun 13, 9:19 PM ET The Iraq war and the leadership of President George W. Bush helped drag down the global image of the United States for the second year straight, according to a new released study. The war and Bush's leadership were the main points provoking negative reactions from people in other countries, especially those in predominantly Muslim nations, according to an annual poll by the Pew Global Attitudes Project. But the poll also showed a growing convergence of views between the United States and the Europeans on issues like Iran's alleged nuclear weapons aspirations and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. "There is widespread sentiment -- especially in the West -- that countries that do not have nuclear weapons should be prevented from developing them," Pew noted. The survey of 17,000 people in 14 nations -- released on the same day Bush made a surprise visit to Baghdad to meet Iraq's new leaders -- shows a growing chasm of opinion between the United States and both its western allies and Muslim countries. "The war in Iraq is a continuing drag on opinions of the United States, not only in predominantly Muslim countries but in Europe and Asia as well," Pew said. In 10 out of 14 countries, a majority of people felt the US-led invasion and occupation of Iraq has made the world more dangerous. While 51 percent of Americans think the world is safer, only 30 percent of Britons agree -- and just 7 percent of Spaniards and eight percent of Chinese. Only in Nigeria and India did more people -- 41 percent in both -- feel safer than not. Among allies, 56 percent Britons expressed a favorable opinion of the United States, nearly the same as last year but down from 70 percent in 2003 and 83 percent in 2000. United States garnered favorable opinions from 39 percent of French, 37 percent of Germans and 23 percent of Spaniards, all several percentage points down from last year. US popularity in predominantly Muslim countries ranged from 12 percent in Turkey (down from 23 percent in 2005) to 30 percent in Indonesia. While in this group the US image mostly fell, in Pakistan, which is involved in the US-led war on terror, favorable opinions rose to 27 percent from 23 percent. Confidence in Bush's international leadership followed a similar pattern, with 30 percent of British expressing confidence in him, compared to 37 percent last year and just over half in 2004. Among Germans, 25 percent were confident in Bush; as were 15 percent of French, seven percent of Spaniards and 21 percent of Russians. Bush's numbers were highest in India (56 percent), Nigeria (52 percent) and the United States itself (50 percent). But in Muslim countries, he scored only 20 percent in Indonesia, 10 percent in Pakistan, and yet worse in Egypt, Jordan and Turkey. Despite the slump in the US image, Pew pointed out that on specific issues of global concern a growing number of people are in line with Washington's views, especially on Iran under President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The view that Iran is a moderate or great danger to the region or world rose significantly from 2003 to 85 percent in Germany, 64 percent in Spain, 78 percent in France, 52 percent in Russia, and 50 percent in China. Germany, France, China and Russia are closely involved in talks to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. But also more suspicious of Tehran are Jordan (44 percent), Turkey (35 percent), Egypt (34 percent) and Indonesia (36 percent). Meanwhile, the poll also showed a growth in sympathy for Israel in France (38 percent compared to 24 percent in 2004), Germany (37 percent up from 24), Britain (24 percent up from 22). Spaniards remain strongly sympathetic to the Palestinians, as do people in Muslim nations, the survey showed.