Poll Shows Low Global Opinion Of U.S.

(CBS)  By CBSNews.com's Jennifer Hoar

---

Not only has global disapproval of the United States and its policies worsened, but confidence in the international system and many of the world's leaders has significantly dissipated as well.

These conclusions, and many others on international affairs, are presented in the findings of an extensive survey by the Pew Research Center. Over 45,000 interviews were conducted in 47 countries for the "Global Attitudes Survey," released Wednesday.

Support for the U.S. and its policies has fallen, both in the Middle East as well as in countries that traditionally ally themselves with the U.S. Spain's confidence in President Bush's leadership, for instance, fell to 7 percent, the poll reveals. That abysmal approval rating wasn't even what shocked former Senator and Ambassador John Danforth, who spoke at a press conference where the Pew report was presented.

"When the plurality of people in Israel say the U.S. is too supportive [of their country], it's as though the message is 'we can't do anything right to anybody ever,'" Danforth said.

The cheese does not stand alone, however. Or, as Danforth put it, this poll shows that "misery loves company."

Indeed, according to Pew statistics, Russia and China do not fare well at all. Russian President Vladimir Putin had diminished approval ratings among his European neighbors. (Of course, in Russia itself, support for Putin increased to 84 percent.) Additionally, much of the world worries about China's increasing military capabilities and economic might.

Militaries, economies and presidents aside, the poll underscores a profound global mistrust for the international system and its dominant powers to solve problems. That, at least, is what most perturbs former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, who was a featured panelist alongside Danforth at the Pew news conference.

"What I find most troubling," Albright said, "is that the international system has broken down, according to these numbers." What's more, she added, is that there "is no alternative view, just a dissatisfaction."

While there is a decent amount of consensus on what constitute health and security threats in today's world – nuclear weapons, environmental pollution and AIDS, to name a few – there is no clarity on how those problems are to be addressed.

"The message is one of paralysis," Danforth said, because "there's a difference between identifying a problem and doing something about it."

The results of the poll belie any sense of unity or certainty about who is to step up and take responsibility for righting the wrong. Albright characterized the situation as one of "nihilism."

What is it going to take to improve this state of affairs, especially for the United States?

That's somewhat complicated. In Albright's opinion, it would be myopic to look to the 2008 election as the main source of hope. "Mistrust of the major powers is not something that can be changed overnight by any new president," she said.

What should start immediately, Danforth said, is elevating the visibility of one question: Who is responsible?

By Jennifer Hoar

[randalds]

"They have a cariacature in there mind of Americans. Redneck, loud, flush with money but lacking taste and education....and very fat." posted by toldyouso21

We here have never thought of the Americans as "fat". :)
Posted by erasmus6 at 02:13 PM : Jun 28, 2007

In her case I was thinking more longwinded then anything else. lol!

[xzavierbrown]

any world problem cannot be solved until a big chunk of the population REALIZE THAT they are part of the biggest factor in most world problem

one good example..the war in middle east..most cry that it is nothing more than just a war to get oil..BUT then turn around and drive around with those big gas guzzling SUVs. blame that GMC or Ford is not making enough effort to do something about it BUT turns around and the world keeps on buying thier products..

[erasmus6]

"They have a cariacature in there mind of Americans. Redneck, loud, flush with money but lacking taste and education....and very fat." posted by toldyouso21

We here have never thought of the Americans as "fat". :)

[j-whitman]

Cheney orders his Defense Secretary,, "Target the Globe, it's on the 'Axis of Evil' list"

[j-whitman]

Yo Globe,,,,, We're America, love us our leave us.

[toldyouso21]

That was the European view, the view of those in our family of color (minorities) empathizes with the Iraqis more so than the Americans. They share views with us they say they don't share with other Americans--because they do not want to be targeted. The view is one of great, smouldering anger. Many (we also have blacksand Puerto Ricans in our family as well as Indian and Pakistani) see our actions in Iraq as a racial genocide. They think America attacks countries without nukes to colonize or take what they have. Not everyone thinks this way, but a lot do. particularly, my relatives that are Moslem, are not happy. They love America as a land of opportunity, but the view is mixed on actual Americans. It has to do with how they have been treated. That aside, they see most Americans as nosy, bullies. In fact, European or Asian or any--almost all see Americans as bullies. Not exactly mean--but more narrow minded and not inclined or capable of learning or changing. Unfortunately, they catch our news on tv--the think Bush is our own little Hitler and his party similar to the Nazis--but because we never experienced fascism personally--we fail to recognize this.

[toldyouso21]

No matter where we are in Europe, invariably people we meet want to know what our day to day life is like. (my husband is also from Europe, born and raised in Amsterdam) they somehow imagine we have an atmosphere in the heartland similar to Germany's in the 1940s. They will ask us if we think our phones are tapped or other crazy questions, they will ask us why, why, why we allow Bush to stay in power. They will shake their heads when talking about neo cons or the far, (and to their minds) hypocritical relgious zealots among us. I have never run across anyone who supports what we are doing in Iraq or many who condone what we helped to bring about in Lebanon. Many take a very biased view of Israel and most (this applies to family) say they don't like what America has become, but for the sake of the evening, do not want to talk about it. Over and over, we are asked how we can stand to live here----and we find ourselves defending what is good and right and not at all like Bush et al. They have a cariacature in their mind of Americans. Redneck, loud, flush with money but lacking taste and education.....and very fat. We are told to quickly invest in a house in England, Holland, Spain...before the prices get too high--because they do feel at the rate America is going fascist (but does not know it) we will need to escape like the family from the Sound of Music. That is a snapshot into how some in the world see us.

[toldyouso21]

Posted by brianbwb at 05:05 AM : Jun 28, 2007

I was born in Europe, still have a lot of family there, and go back almost every year. I also have an extended family that includes Indians, Pakistani, Polynesian, Indonesian,... Many in Europe at first blamed America's problem on Bush and co--but ultimately the tide has turned. They see Americans as loud,arrogant braggarts, extremely materialistic and judgemental who will do anything for money. They see Bush as an extension of us. They often point out (even strangers on the streets of Amsterdam, London and Barcelona will chime in) that America has the government that best reflects them.

Do not delude yourself. After the last Presidential election, many viewed Americans with a mixture of fascinated horror and disgust. Obviously, (in their minds) Bush is what we want. They note how we do nothing to impeach or rid ourselves of this government, they note how Americans do not even protest in large numbers or march. They note that our current war stance is a little to late for over a million Iraqis and finally, they believe that we are barbaric, warmongering and slightly ignorant and crude people. If you want to know the truth. Most Europeans and others tolerate Americans but they do not really like or respect them--though they usually will make allowances for the few, they have personally come to know. They do like our buying power though.

[toldyouso21]

You are greatly mistaken if you think US military can subdue anyone but the smallest countries (even then questionable), as Vietnam should have taught us, and as the current situation makes painfully obvious.
Posted by brianbwb at 05:26 AM : Jun 28, 2007


I think you may want to go back to re-read my posts (not just the one you are responding to)--I do not suggest we have the military might or prowess to take down China or any other large power--my point was (based on sarcasm) that a knife cuts 2 ways--I find it very interesting that people want to bash the US and yet they do not modify either their thinking or their lives/countries to accomodate us--also to the point of the Global market--ideally it is a great idea, in reality it is a very bad idea. When one's economy and well being is subject to the vagaries of another country's politics and policies which are beyond our control, this is simply a set up for failure on a monumental (global) scale.

Global economies are really about market share and exploitation of lesser nations' resources and people by those with more money. Gets those stocks right up and in the short term provides interesting and cheap goods. In the long term it demoralizes and destroys local competition, mfg bases and corrupts markets and populations into the haves and have nots. the only solace will be when the crash comes--the avg. American can know that most of the world is suffering with them.

[afmca]

The new world order is corrupt capitalism as championed by Bush/Cheney and embraced fully by the Chinese. The US is held in such low regard because people see our brand of capitalism as ensuring monopolies manipulate to enrich themselves while proclaiming no responisibility to citizens, customers, or the environment. They are like the alien predator that destroys and then moves on.

US capitalism has created the threat of China. American corporations would sell the heart and soul of America for cheap labor, second rate products, increased profits, and ever growing executive salaries/benefits. The rest of the world has caught on that our economic system contunues to grow, but the decrease in personal liberty, dignity, and true standard of leaving is not worth the price.