Bush Admin. Uniting World...

... in the sense of global opinion that the US contributions to world affairs have become "mainly negative."

How the mighty are fallen

Global opinion on American foreign policy and the role of the US in world affairs, especially in the Middle East, has plunged to new lows, with overwhelming condemnation of its handling of the war in Iraq. An authoritive BBC World Service survey of more then 26,000 people from 25 countries across Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East shows nearly three in four people disapprove of how the US has dealt with Iraq over the past 12 months.
Respondents were polled in November and December - before the announcement by US President, George Bush, of his new surge strategy in Iraq, and his plans to send an extra 21,500 troops into Baghdad to quell sectarian violence gripping the capital.
The polling also showed global public opinion was against US handling of detainees at Guantanamo Bay, with 67 per cent of opposed.
The countries whose citizens were the most strident in their opposition over Guantanamo Bay were Germany, Egypt, Turkey, Portugal, Italy, France and Lebanon, with over 80 per cent opposed. Of the Australians polled, 77 per cent disapproved of the US Guantanamo policies, while 76 percent of Britons and 72 per cent of Indonesians also expressed disapproval.
The poll was conducted by the international polling firm GlobeScan. In only four of the 25 countries surveyed did a majority of Respondents believe the US influence in the world was "mainly positive". They were Kenya, Nigeria, the Philippines and the US.
The Countries most disparaging of the role the US in global affairs were Germany (74 per cent said it had a mainly negative impact) and Indonesia (71 per cent). In Australia, 60 percent of Respondents viewed America's influence as mainly negative.
Opinion on the global influence of the US plunged most dramatically among citizens of its close ally Poland - one of the original coalition of the willing in Iraq - where positive responses fell from 62 per cent a year ago to 38 per cent. Similarly, in the Philippines positive opinion about the US world affairs fell by 13 points to 72 per cent, in India by 14 points to 30 per cent, and in Indonesia 19 points to 21 per cent.
Respondents were polled on eight topics related to US foreign policy. In addition to US Iraq and Guantanamo Bay people were asked about the US role in the Middle East. They were also asked how they thought the US handled Iran's nuclear program, the war between Israel and Hezbollah, N. Korea's nuclear weapons program and Global warming.
France, Indonesia, Egypt, Mexico, Argentina and Brazil were the most critical of the US presence in the Middle East. In each, 80 per cent or more people said they believed the US provoked more conflict in the region then it prevented.
The were followed by China, Germany, Britain, Lebanon, Russia, Turkey, South Korea, Portugal and Australia, were 70 per cent said the US was not a stabilising force in the region.
Sixty-Five per cent of the Respondents disapproved of America's handling of the war in Lebanon, and 60 per cent disapproved of its handling of Iran's nuclear program, while 56 per cent responded negatively to its policies on global warming. A small majority - 54 per cent - also disapproved of how the US had dealt with North Korea.

Cynthia Banham - Sydney Morning Herald

So the questions are - is it fair? Would you say the US influence on the world in global affairs is mainly negative, or is the US being viewed unfairly, with possible positive acts being overshadowed by certain issues?

Likewise how important should global opinion be viewed? And is the current downward spiral something that is likely to change in the future, or has the Bush administration created an image that is going to remain with the US for a long time, even after his final term?

Why isn't "Royally ****ed" an option? hmm

Originally posted by Strangelove
Why isn't "Royally ****ed" an option? hmm

It was going to be, but the stars of ****ed didn't fit in with the polls feng shui.

Originally posted by Imperial_Samura
It was going to be, but the stars of ****ed didn't fit in with the polls feng shui.

In my opinion, America's one of the nicest world powers that have ever existed. So I'll go for mainly positive.

Originally posted by Kinneary
In my opinion, America's one of the nicest world powers that have ever existed. So I'll go for mainly positive.

this thread title made me lol out loud hehe

Originally posted by PVS
lol out loud hehe

Nice.

Originally posted by Kinneary
In my opinion, America's one of the nicest world powers that have ever existed. So I'll go for mainly positive.

I can see your point there in regards to world power.

Negative.

What strikes me with America the most is that as a world power, it attacks and terrorises countries which cannot compete with America in numbers, economically nor military.

It attacks countries which have posed no threat to America, nor can hope to pose a threat to America - not at least another 100 years, or more.

Originally posted by lil bitchiness
Negative.

What strikes me with America the most is that as a world power, it attacks and terrorises countries which cannot compete with America in numbers, economically nor military.

It attacks countries which have posed no threat to America, nor can hope to pose a threat to America - not at least another 100 years, or more.

nonesense. all those brown people should have known better than to live on top of our oil

bush's policy in the middle east is quite easy to follow, as he simply emulates his hero, lord humungus:

"just walk away from the gasoline"

I went with 'mainly positive.'

A good deal of the issues that we keep catching flak for are usually wtf-worthy once you look into it further. For example, Guantanamo Bay.

The UN Committee in charge of keeping watch over this sort of thing sent us a mean and angry letter saying the prison at Guantanamo was inhumane and demanded we shut it down (I think there was a consequence given, but as usual, nothing happened when we refused). Sounds normal enough on the surface.

There's a problem though: not a single investigator on this committee had ever BEEN to Guantanamo Bay, and every last one refused the offer to visit.

We even offered to provide transportation; they refused to visit to carry out a first-hand investigation. One of the reasons officially given was that "visitting the prison would cause them to develop a bias." As opposed to only interviewing people that had been released, since what possible reason could they have to be upset? I mean hell, they were only locked up in a prison by a country they hate. No chance of a bias developing there...

I mean hell, they were only locked up in a prison by a country they hate. No chance of a bias developing there...

yes, being kidnapped and locked up inefinately in a prison with no legal representation or formal charges for 5 years running can turn a person bitter.

Seeing as much of the modern civilisation we take for granted is basically the result of the US, if you live in the west and don't respond to this with a positive then there has to be serious questions about your judgment.

Originally posted by PVS
nonesense. all those brown people should have known better than to live on top of our oil

bush's policy in the middle east is quite easy to follow, as he simply emulates his hero, lord humungus:

"just walk away from the gasoline"

our oil? damn son bush has corrupted you man. the way i see this war is about money and power. tell me this why we still in iraq if we just hung saddam? wheres the weapons of mass destruction? key thing to this war is iraq and afghanistan is just 2 poor countries that are being over run by are idiotic president. the way crap is looking now north korea and iran are the 2 we have to worry about

Originally posted by PiruBlood
our oil? damn son bush has corrupted you man. the way i see this war is about money and power. tell me this why we still in iraq if we just hung saddam? wheres the weapons of mass destruction? key thing to this war is iraq and afghanistan is just 2 poor countries that are being over run by are idiotic president. the way crap is looking now north korea and iran are the 2 we have to worry about

Haha, a reckoning shall fall upon you now.

Regardless of the current situation in Iraq, North Korea and Iran would still be a concern.

Originally posted by Soleran
Haha, a reckoning shall fall upon you now.

Regardless of the current situation in Iraq, North Korea and Iran would still be a concern.

iran and north korea was the only 2 muslim countries to have weapons of mass destruction

Originally posted by lil bitchiness
Negative.

What strikes me with America the most is that as a world power, it attacks and terrorises countries which cannot compete with America in numbers, economically nor military.

It attacks countries which have posed no threat to America, nor can hope to pose a threat to America - not at least another 100 years, or more.

I'm with you and Chomsky on this one.

Originally posted by Ushgarak
Seeing as much of the modern civilisation we take for granted is basically the result of the US, if you live in the west and don't respond to this with a positive then there has to be serious questions about your judgment.

Eh, did you notice the bit in the thread title that refers specifically to the Bush administration? Guess not. Oh, well...Maybe next time?

Originally posted by lil bitchiness
Negative.

What strikes me with America the most is that as a world power, it attacks and terrorises countries which cannot compete with America in numbers, economically nor military.

It attacks countries which have posed no threat to America, nor can hope to pose a threat to America - not at least another 100 years, or more.

Originally posted by PiruBlood
iran and north korea was the only 2 muslim countries to have weapons of mass destruction