Polls Show Worsening of U.S. Reputation

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-24-2003
Polls Show Worsening of U.S. Reputation
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Fri, 10-15-2004 - 1:43pm
Polls Show Worsening of U.S. Reputation

By BETH GARDINER

LONDON (AP) - America's reputation around the world is hurting, according to a series of coordinated polls published Friday from 10 countries, including many of the United States' closest allies.

In eight of the countries where the surveys commissioned by major newspapers were conducted, more people said their view of America had worsened in the past two to three years than improved. That question was asked in nine countries.

By big margins, those questioned said the war in Iraq did not aid the global fight against terrorism.

And in eight out of 10 nations, those polled said - often in landslide proportions - that they hoped to see Democrat John Kerry beat President Bush in next month's election. Bush won backing from a majority of respondents only in Russia and Israel.

The polls were conducted in Canada, France, Britain, Spain, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Mexico, Israel and Russia, with results to be published in the participating newspapers on Friday. Not all questions were asked in every country.

On average, 57 percent of those questioned said their opinions of America had worsened over the past two to three years, compared with 20 percent who said their view had improved. That question was asked in nine of the countries, but not in Russia.

Seventy-four percent of Japanese, 70 percent of French, 67 percent of South Koreans, 64 percent of Canadians and 60 percent of Spaniards said they had a worse opinion of America now than two to three years ago.

Only in Israel did more people say their view of the United States had improved than worsened in the past two to three years.

In that period, which began just after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the United States has led wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. While much of the international community backed the invasion to oust the Taliban, Bush's decision to invade Iraq has fueled anger around the world.

However, many of those polled separated their feelings about the U.S. government from their views of the American people. Sixty-eight percent said they had a favorable opinion of Americans.

Asked whether American democracy remained a model for other nations, 52 percent of those asked said yes and 42 percent said no.

In Britain, Mexico and South Korea, more people thought the United States was no longer a model, while in Canada, Russia, Japan and Israel, majorities said it was.

Fifty-nine percent of people questioned in seven nations - including Britain, America's closest ally in Iraq - said the war there was not helping the world fight against terrorism, while 35 percent said it was, as Bush contends.

People in all 10 countries were asked who they hoped to see win the White House on Nov. 2, and the result will make Kerry wish they had a vote.

The Democrat was favored by healthy to enormous majorities in eight of the nations - 72 percent supported him, compared with 16 percent for Bush in France.

In South Korea, it was 68 percent for Kerry and 18 percent for Bush; in Canada, 60 percent to 20 percent; in Spain, 58 percent to 13 percent; in Australia 54 percent to 28 percent; and in Britain 50 percent to 22 percent.

Bush came out on top in Israel by a margin of 50 percent to 24 percent and in Russia, 52 percent to 48 percent.

The newspapers involved were La Presse in Canada, Le Monde in France, the Guardian in Britain, El Pais in Spain, Asahi Shimbun in Japan, JoongAng Ilbo in South Korea, the Sydney Morning Herald and Melbourne Age in Australia, Reforma in Mexico, Haaretz in Israel and the Moscow News in Russia.

The sample sizes in the 10 polls varied from 522 people in Israel to 1,417 in Australia. Margins of error were mostly around 3 percentage points, but varied between 2.6 and 4.38.

The polls were conducted on different dates from September through early October.

(UPDATES grafs 2, 7, 8 to correct that people in eight countries, sted seven, say views of America have worsened, per corrected information from newspaper; minor edits throughout.)


10/15/04 08:37


© Copyright The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained In this news report may not be published, broadcast or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 04-16-2004
Fri, 10-15-2004 - 3:56pm
The French, Germans and Russians are all peeved that the Oil for Food program scandal is pointing direct links to the higest offices within their government.

If it were not for the US led removal of Hussein, this program would not have really come to light, and we would not have the list of payoffs to the named people in that program, which include the former head of the Oil for Food program, and Kofi Annan's son.

This has something to do with it, but not everything.

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-24-2003
Fri, 10-15-2004 - 4:12pm
I think that's a slanted generalization - I would not say I don't have good feelings about another country's govt. if that country's govt. exposed my govt. for some wrong doing. (i.e. the IRAQ WAR)

Not to mention, russia gave the US some of the highest marks of all the countries surveyed-

And from what I've read, I'm not sure you should be including Germany in your list regarding the oil for food issue.

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-04-2001
Fri, 10-15-2004 - 5:50pm
I'm not surprised by the poll results. It seems to be fashionable among some circles to bash our country. Democratic leaders have not been shy about calling our president a liar, an assassin, etc. - when there is no factual basis for those allegations. (Why was it so much easier for them to use the word "liar" than to say that our intelligence services needed review?) Democrats celebrated - and featured at their convention - a film maker like Michael Moore who makes and distributes anti-US propaganda films for profit. How many Democrats have you see question the UN Food For Oil program, express outrage at the beheadings of innocents, celebrate elections in Afghanistan - or in fact say anything very good about this country in the past year? We all have a right to express our opinions, but statesmanship should motivate Democratic leaders to check their facts and moderate their rhetoric.
Avatar for papparic
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Fri, 10-15-2004 - 5:58pm
Did you even read the stats from the survey? If you had you'd know that one of the countries you list came out favorable to the US and one other country didn't even participate.

Or do you already have your opinion made up before you hear the issue?

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-02-2004
Fri, 10-15-2004 - 6:02pm


If you watch Moore's film you will realize that he is not promoting anti-US sentiments, but trying to publicize the terrible things our country and countrymen are enduring at the hands of Bush.

I, as a liberal, am truly sick and tired of hearing that just because we do not endorse Bush's unjust actions or the Bush administration itself that we are less patriotic or that we care less about our country. We simply realize the extent to which we are suffering as a country from the actions or inactions of our current president and are deeply saddened by the perception of America and Americans by people around the world.

This past year our country and its leaders have displayed some of the worst behavior in history. People have been mislead, our fellow citezans are DYING for a completely unneccessary cause, Americans are ignoring what is going on in other countries (not only Iraq, but Sudan and Rwanda as well as Palestine) in addition to ignoring what is going on around them (Stripping homosexuals of their rights and the more running of the school system into the ground). Democrats are not hating America. We, as proud Americans, are ashamed of things that are going on the we know are WRONG in our country and we are outraged and want things to CHANGE!!!

Avatar for papparic
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Fri, 10-15-2004 - 6:09pm
You think foreigners are paying all that much attention to what democrats in the US say? A rather myopic view of the world, don't you think?

My negative view of American policy have nothing to do whether anyone in your country agrees with it or not. I am capable of making up my own mind and I say George's policies stink. There was a reason to go in to Afghanistan, George fabricated a reason for going into Iraq. He also threatened anyone who didn't agree with him. People standing on the outside, like myself, fear the policies of George and his cohorts. I see an eroding of freedoms within the US and a military threat from his foreign policy. And a majority of my countrymen agree.

You may care less, but that is the situation.

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-04-2001
Fri, 10-15-2004 - 6:16pm
In the past year our country has helped stabilize Afghanistan so that for the first time ever truly free elections were held in which women could vote. In the past year our country has captured a dictator who slaughtered millions of his own people, stole money intended to feed children, and refused to abide by the cease fire agreements made after he was forcefully prevented from capturing Kuwait - and he is being held humanely and will be fairly tried by Iraqi courts. In the past year our nation has reacted promptly to address allegations of prisoner mistreatment in Abhu Gharib and those responsible have been arrested and are being tried. In the past year our country has reacted with compassion and generosity - both public and private - to assist people who were devastated by hurricanes. Over the past four years, across our nation, hundreds of elections have been held and political power has changed hands peacefully in local, state and national elections. In the past year our economy has grown as we have struggled to recover from 9/11 and today more people own their own home than ever before in our nation's history. No country is perfect, but you choose to see only flaws. . .that is sad for you and for our nation.
Avatar for isabella710
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-22-2003
Fri, 10-15-2004 - 6:47pm
So if we play nice, everybody will like us? Do we take polls on the reputation of Ireland? Do we take polls on who likes Greenland?

I'm so sick of hearing this stupid argument. That's why people are trying to get into our country. Because they don't like us, right? Sorry, I don't buy it.


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iVillage Member
Registered: 08-05-2004
Fri, 10-15-2004 - 6:57pm
Thank you. I agree. Try listening to the other side sometime whether it's on Air America or this guy named Mike Webb (mikewebb.org).
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-06-2004
Fri, 10-15-2004 - 7:14pm
Iva Ikuko Toguri, Mildred Gillars, and Jane Fonda would be SO pleased.

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