Full Version: Survey on the "WOT"
Souce: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/2994924.stm
Questions to Debate:
What is the reason for the lack of trust for the US around the world?
Why is US rated more dangerous than the "rogue states"? How much is the US actions over the last century (arming of human rights violators such as Pinochet) got to do with it? How much of it is purely due to the "War on Terror"?
Did the absance of WMDs in Iraq affect the public opinion?
What effects will such public opinion have tp the world politics?
QUOTE
The survey of 11 countries - for the television programme What The World Thinks of America, to be aired this week in the UK - revealed that 57% of the sample had a very unfavourable, or fairly unfavourable attitude towards the American President.
Over half the sample felt that the US was wrong to invade Iraq - this included 81% of Russian respondents, and 63% of the French response.
<snip>
Asked who is the more dangerous to world peace and stability, the United States was rated higher than al-Qaeda by respondents in both Jordan (71%) and Indonesia (66%).
America was also rated more dangerous than two countries considered as "rogue states" by Washington.
It was rated more dangerous than Iran, by people in Jordan, Indonesia, Russia, South Korea and Brazil, and more dangerous than Syria by respondents all the countries, except for Australia, Israel and the United States.
<snip>
People around the world take a dim view of the US, poll suggests
Nearly two-thirds of respondents to an international poll for the BBC say they have an unfavourable opinion of George W Bush.
The survey of 11 countries - for the television programme What The World Thinks of America, to be aired this week in the UK - revealed that 57% of the sample had a very unfavourable, or fairly unfavourable attitude towards the American President.
The figure rose to 60% when discounting the views of the American respondents.
The survey - conducted for the BBC by ICM and other international pollsters - gauged opinion towards US military, economic, cultural and political influence.
COUNTRIES POLLED
Australia
Canada
Brazil
France
Indonesia
Israel
Jordan
Russia
South Korea
United Kingdom
United States
Over half the sample felt that the US was wrong to invade Iraq - this included 81% of Russian respondents, and 63% of the French response.
Thirty-seven per cent thought it right to invade - including 54% of the UK response, 74% of the US response and 79% of the Israeli sample.
Asked who is the more dangerous to world peace and stability, the United States was rated higher than al-Qaeda by respondents in both Jordan (71%) and Indonesia (66%).
America was also rated more dangerous than two countries considered as "rogue states" by Washington.
It was rated more dangerous than Iran, by people in Jordan, Indonesia, Russia, South Korea and Brazil, and more dangerous than Syria by respondents all the countries, except for Australia, Israel and the United States.
<snip>
The survey groups were also asked whether they felt that the American military did enough to avoid civilian casualties during conflicts. Seventy per cent of the group as a whole thought the US could do more.
The sample of over 11,000 respondents also showed negative attitudes about American initiatives, such as the war on terrorism and US efforts in the Middle-East.
Over half the sample felt that the US was wrong to invade Iraq - this included 81% of Russian respondents, and 63% of the French response.
<snip>
Asked who is the more dangerous to world peace and stability, the United States was rated higher than al-Qaeda by respondents in both Jordan (71%) and Indonesia (66%).
America was also rated more dangerous than two countries considered as "rogue states" by Washington.
It was rated more dangerous than Iran, by people in Jordan, Indonesia, Russia, South Korea and Brazil, and more dangerous than Syria by respondents all the countries, except for Australia, Israel and the United States.
<snip>
People around the world take a dim view of the US, poll suggests
Nearly two-thirds of respondents to an international poll for the BBC say they have an unfavourable opinion of George W Bush.
The survey of 11 countries - for the television programme What The World Thinks of America, to be aired this week in the UK - revealed that 57% of the sample had a very unfavourable, or fairly unfavourable attitude towards the American President.
The figure rose to 60% when discounting the views of the American respondents.
The survey - conducted for the BBC by ICM and other international pollsters - gauged opinion towards US military, economic, cultural and political influence.
COUNTRIES POLLED
Australia
Canada
Brazil
France
Indonesia
Israel
Jordan
Russia
South Korea
United Kingdom
United States
Over half the sample felt that the US was wrong to invade Iraq - this included 81% of Russian respondents, and 63% of the French response.
Thirty-seven per cent thought it right to invade - including 54% of the UK response, 74% of the US response and 79% of the Israeli sample.
Asked who is the more dangerous to world peace and stability, the United States was rated higher than al-Qaeda by respondents in both Jordan (71%) and Indonesia (66%).
America was also rated more dangerous than two countries considered as "rogue states" by Washington.
It was rated more dangerous than Iran, by people in Jordan, Indonesia, Russia, South Korea and Brazil, and more dangerous than Syria by respondents all the countries, except for Australia, Israel and the United States.
<snip>
The survey groups were also asked whether they felt that the American military did enough to avoid civilian casualties during conflicts. Seventy per cent of the group as a whole thought the US could do more.
The sample of over 11,000 respondents also showed negative attitudes about American initiatives, such as the war on terrorism and US efforts in the Middle-East.
Questions to Debate:
What is the reason for the lack of trust for the US around the world?
Why is US rated more dangerous than the "rogue states"? How much is the US actions over the last century (arming of human rights violators such as Pinochet) got to do with it? How much of it is purely due to the "War on Terror"?
Did the absance of WMDs in Iraq affect the public opinion?
What effects will such public opinion have tp the world politics?
Your link is badly out of date - this survey was carried out in May and June of 2003, and first published on the BBC website on Monday, 16 June, 2003.
Things have changed since then - and if I remember rightly,
debated it then anyway - a more up to date survey (this time inside Iraq in advance of this week's elections) is much more optimistic and less overtly hostile to the Bush and the US in general - Here's a link to another BBC web page
The full survey results can be found in a PDF link at the bottom of the page - it is an update of a previous survey, which may be the one you linked to.
A majority of Iraqis still want the US and other foreign forces to leave their country, but reading between the lines this is driven more by Iraqi patrioitism than anti-Americanism.
And, when asked in Question 6 "From today’s perspective and all things considered, was it absolutely right, somewhat right, somewhat wrong or absolutely wrong that US-led coalition forces invaded Iraq in Spring 2003?" a small majority - 50.3% - say that the US-led invasion of 2003 was somewhat or absolutely wrong, compared to 46.2% who say it was somewhat or absolutely right, the balance being "dont' knows". This is broadly comparable to the 2003 survey's assessment of the UK's opinons on the matter. And it's a rather wider margin than the one by which George W Bush won his second term this year
.
However, Iraqis seem admirably pragmatic - only 5.7% of them think that the best thing that could now happen to their country would be withdrawal of US forces, well behind 'peace & stability' (19.3), 'security' (33.3%) and just behind 'a better life' (7.6%). (Only 0.4% think that US forces staying in Iraq would be the best possible thing to happen, well behind the 1.0% for whom a job would be their fondest wish)
In a similar vein, 8.9% think that the 'occupation' forces staying behind would be the worst thing that could happen, behind lack of security (16.5%), civil war (16.1%), and terrorism (11.5%).
And only 9% or so say that removing US forces should be the first priority of the new government - WAY behind regaining public security (56.6%). Perhaps because the people recognise that coalition forces have a part to play in doing that? It seems so - when asked specifically how long US troops should remain, 30.9% say "when security is restored" against 25.5% who say "now"
There's lots of other good stuff in the new survey (which may well be the one that you were trying to link to anyway fma), which certainly indicates Iraqis are broadly quite optimistic and not inimically hostile to the US and her allies, though no special relationship should be expected either.
I predict that if & when stable & peaceful democracy does establish itself in Iraq, the people and their government will feel no more obligated to bow and scrape at the very mention of America than the people & governments of continental Europe have done since 1945.
Freedom includes, and must include, the freedom to disagree with one's liberators. If it doesn't, it is not freedom.
But anyway...
What is the reason for the lack of trust for the US around the world?
I'd say the number one reason is ignorance. In both directions - many outside America are ignorant about its real motivations and opinions, and assume hostile intent where none exists. And many, if not most, Americans (inside and outside government) are ignorant of the motivations and opinions of people outside America. The latter is talked about more only because America is more powerful than anyone else, so the mistakes America makes through ignorance are more damaging than the ones anyone else makes.
Why is US rated more dangerous than the "rogue states"? How much is the US actions over the last century (arming of human rights violators such as Pinochet) got to do with it? How much of it is purely due to the "War on Terror"?
Similar to my last answer, this has to do with America's great power. If I live in Iran, I don't need to fear North Korea because they have no way to do anything to me. America has much greater reach.
Did the absance of WMDs in Iraq affect the public opinion?
I'd say that this was most damaging to the US government domestically, rather than internationally, and has to be bundled up with lots of other factors to assess world opinon (e.g. non participation in some international treaties & organisations e.g. the ICC, Kyoto etc.)
What effects will such public opinion have to the world politics?
Ultimately, I think the assumption of a consistently benign America, if it ever existed outside America anyway, will come to an end, to be replaced by the assumption of a spasmodically benign America, when its own interests are helped or at least not harmed. This is more realistic anyway, so I don't see that it will cause any real harm to anyone, though some egos (mostly, but not always, American ones) will get bruised.
Things have changed since then - and if I remember rightly,
debated it then anyway - a more up to date survey (this time inside Iraq in advance of this week's elections) is much more optimistic and less overtly hostile to the Bush and the US in general - Here's a link to another BBC web pageThe full survey results can be found in a PDF link at the bottom of the page - it is an update of a previous survey, which may be the one you linked to.
A majority of Iraqis still want the US and other foreign forces to leave their country, but reading between the lines this is driven more by Iraqi patrioitism than anti-Americanism.
And, when asked in Question 6 "From today’s perspective and all things considered, was it absolutely right, somewhat right, somewhat wrong or absolutely wrong that US-led coalition forces invaded Iraq in Spring 2003?" a small majority - 50.3% - say that the US-led invasion of 2003 was somewhat or absolutely wrong, compared to 46.2% who say it was somewhat or absolutely right, the balance being "dont' knows". This is broadly comparable to the 2003 survey's assessment of the UK's opinons on the matter. And it's a rather wider margin than the one by which George W Bush won his second term this year
. However, Iraqis seem admirably pragmatic - only 5.7% of them think that the best thing that could now happen to their country would be withdrawal of US forces, well behind 'peace & stability' (19.3), 'security' (33.3%) and just behind 'a better life' (7.6%). (Only 0.4% think that US forces staying in Iraq would be the best possible thing to happen, well behind the 1.0% for whom a job would be their fondest wish)
In a similar vein, 8.9% think that the 'occupation' forces staying behind would be the worst thing that could happen, behind lack of security (16.5%), civil war (16.1%), and terrorism (11.5%).
And only 9% or so say that removing US forces should be the first priority of the new government - WAY behind regaining public security (56.6%). Perhaps because the people recognise that coalition forces have a part to play in doing that? It seems so - when asked specifically how long US troops should remain, 30.9% say "when security is restored" against 25.5% who say "now"
There's lots of other good stuff in the new survey (which may well be the one that you were trying to link to anyway fma), which certainly indicates Iraqis are broadly quite optimistic and not inimically hostile to the US and her allies, though no special relationship should be expected either.
I predict that if & when stable & peaceful democracy does establish itself in Iraq, the people and their government will feel no more obligated to bow and scrape at the very mention of America than the people & governments of continental Europe have done since 1945.
Freedom includes, and must include, the freedom to disagree with one's liberators. If it doesn't, it is not freedom.
But anyway...
What is the reason for the lack of trust for the US around the world?
I'd say the number one reason is ignorance. In both directions - many outside America are ignorant about its real motivations and opinions, and assume hostile intent where none exists. And many, if not most, Americans (inside and outside government) are ignorant of the motivations and opinions of people outside America. The latter is talked about more only because America is more powerful than anyone else, so the mistakes America makes through ignorance are more damaging than the ones anyone else makes.
Why is US rated more dangerous than the "rogue states"? How much is the US actions over the last century (arming of human rights violators such as Pinochet) got to do with it? How much of it is purely due to the "War on Terror"?
Similar to my last answer, this has to do with America's great power. If I live in Iran, I don't need to fear North Korea because they have no way to do anything to me. America has much greater reach.
Did the absance of WMDs in Iraq affect the public opinion?
I'd say that this was most damaging to the US government domestically, rather than internationally, and has to be bundled up with lots of other factors to assess world opinon (e.g. non participation in some international treaties & organisations e.g. the ICC, Kyoto etc.)
What effects will such public opinion have to the world politics?
Ultimately, I think the assumption of a consistently benign America, if it ever existed outside America anyway, will come to an end, to be replaced by the assumption of a spasmodically benign America, when its own interests are helped or at least not harmed. This is more realistic anyway, so I don't see that it will cause any real harm to anyone, though some egos (mostly, but not always, American ones) will get bruised.
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