World views US 'more positively'

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Attitudes to the United States are improving, an opinion poll carried out for the BBC World Service suggests.

The average percentage of people saying that the US has a positive influence has risen to 35% from 31% a year ago, according to the survey.

Those saying the US has a negative influence fell five percentage points to 47%.

The poll, part of a regular survey of world opinion, interviewed more than 17,000 people in 34 countries.

The survey period was the three months up to the end of January 2008.

However, the poll finds that views of US influence in the world are still mainly negative, though they improved in 11 out of the 23 countries also polled a year ago.

Perceptions of the US worsened in three - Canada, Lebanon and Egypt.

The World Service poll has been canvassing opinions about the influence of countries since 2005.

Of the 17 countries surveyed every year since 2005, positive views of the US have recovered for the first time this year to 32% after showing a steady decline over the previous three years.

Reacting to the poll results, senior US state department official Kurt Volker acknowledged perceptions had been negative in recent years, but said 2003 and 2004 had been an "anomaly" because of the Iraq war.

"I would say public opinion is a lagging indicator of what we are doing, working together with European governments and other elites," he said in a BBC interview.

"Everyone wants to be loved," he said.

But he added: "We are a superpower. We have tremendous responsibility, a large economy, large diplomatic reach and military reach, so naturally the world looks at the US with much greater attention than any other country in the world."

Most negative

Of other countries rated, Iran and Israel are viewed most negatively.

Negative views of Iran's influence remained at 54%. But Israel's negative rating went down from 57% to 52%.

Pakistan was the third most poorly rated country.

Germany, included in the ratings for the first time, is viewed most positively, with a 56% positive score to 18% negative.

Japan comes in a close second, with 56% positive to 21% negative. But a majority of those surveyed in neighbouring China and South Korea expressed negative views of Japan.

Russia showed the greatest improvement, with positive views rising on average among the countries surveyed from 29% to 37%.

The survey was carried out by the international polling firm GlobeScan with the Program on International Policy Attitudes (PIPA) at the University of Maryland.

PIPA director Steven Kull said the improved rating of the United States could be linked to the forthcoming presidential election.

"It may be that as the US approaches a new presidential election, views of the US are being mitigated by hope that a new administration will move away from the foreign policies that have been so unpopular in the world," he said.

People were asked to rate Brazil, Britain, China, France, Germany, India, Iran, Israel, Japan, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, the US and the European Union as having positive or negative influence.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7324337.stm

[Krikit 1,166]

Perceptions of the US worsened in three - Canada, Lebanon and Egypt.

They probably asked people who were dealing with USCIS.

[Heracles 417]

But he added: "We are a superpower. We have tremendous responsibility, a large economy, large diplomatic reach and military reach, ...."

I should have been the reporter. I would have said you are fucken bankrupt that is what you are. With the living standards of Fiji. And the infrastructure of Kenya..

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

And yet you maintain that you don't hate the country...

[Heracles 417]

And yet you maintain that you don't hate the country...

I don't but when I hear clowns like that talking ####### it's like come on man..

Why would you beat on about superpower and the military when you have some of the poorest people in the developed world living in your country. I would be embarrassed to show my face let alone stick my chest out and speak. It is those sort of comments why the world hates America so dam much. It's like shut-up and worry about your own huge problems before meddling with the rest of the world's affairs and going on a high horse about the few things you are good at.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

And yet according to the survey - people generally don't hate the US as much.

I'm not sure what you expect a State Department official to say. He's hardly going to talk to the international media and roundly trash his own country is he... for one thing it probably wouldn't do his career prospects much good. In fact, I think it would do more to damage the country's reputation than anything else.

[no name 1]

And yet according to the survey - people generally don't hate the US as much.

A 35% positive rating for the US is hardly a gold star. Not to mention the 47% negative rating.

This survey is #######. Americans are still hated, but 5% less. Yippee!

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

And yet according to the survey - people generally don't hate the US as much.

A 35% positive rating for the US is hardly a gold star. Not to mention the 47% negative rating.

This survey is #######. Americans are still hated, but 5% less. Yippee!

That's the median average - dragged down by the Iran's, North Korea's etc. There's a graph that shows a breakdown by country.

Oddly enough the US appears to rate itself more negatively than Europe.

[no name 1]

And yet according to the survey - people generally don't hate the US as much.

A 35% positive rating for the US is hardly a gold star. Not to mention the 47% negative rating.

This survey is #######. Americans are still hated, but 5% less. Yippee!

That's the median average - dragged down by the Iran's, North Korea's etc. There's a graph that shows a breakdown by country.

Oddly enough the US appears to rate itself more negatively than Europe.

Those pesky averages, how one earth do we live with them? Damn facts.

PS: a whopping high of 56% positive (by Ger) is still not a gold star.

Edited April 2, 2008 by illumine