In wake of Iraq war, allies prefer China to U.S.

26 X World Champs · 06-25-05, 08:02 AM

Bush has destroyed America's standing around the world so much that our allies have a more positive view of Communist China than they do of the USA. Capiche? OUR ALLIES like China more than they like US!

Source: http://pewglobal.org/reports/images/247-2.gif

Quote:

Poll: In wake of Iraq war, allies prefer China to U.S.
America's rating was lowest in Turkey, Pakistan and Jordan

Friday, June 24, 2005 Posted: 1128 GMT (1928 HKT)

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The United States' image is so tattered overseas two years after the Iraq invasion that communist China is viewed more favorably than the U.S. in many long-time Western European allies, an international poll has found.

The poor image persists even though the Bush administration has been promoting freedom and democracy throughout the world in recent months -- which many viewed favorably -- and has sent hundreds of millions of dollars in relief aid to Indian Ocean nations hit by the devastating December 26 tsunami.

"It's amazing when you see the European public rating the United States so poorly, especially in comparison with China," said Andrew Kohut, director of the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, which surveyed public opinion in 16 countries, including the United States.

In Britain, almost two-thirds of Britons, 65 percent, saw China favorably, compared with 55 percent who held a positive view of the United States.

In France, 58 percent had an upbeat view of China, compared with 43 percent who felt that way about the U.S. The results were nearly the same in Spain and the Netherlands.

The United States' favorability rating was lowest among three Muslim nations which are also U.S. allies -- Turkey, Pakistan and Jordan -- where only about one-fifth of those polled viewed the U.S. in a positive light.

Only India and Poland were more upbeat about the United States, while Canadians were just as likely to see China favorably as they were the U.S.

The poll found suspicion and wariness of the United States in many countries where people question the war in Iraq and are growing wary of the U.S.-led campaign against terrorism.

"The Iraq war has left an enduring impression on the minds of people around the world in ways that make them very suspicious of U.S. intentions and makes the effort to win hearts and minds far more difficult," said Shibley Telhami, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution....

The entire story is here: http://edition.cnn.com/2005/US/06/23/poll.america.ap/

akyron · 06-26-05, 11:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 26 X World Champs

Bush has destroyed America's standing around the world so much that our allies have a more positive view of Communist China than they do of the USA. Capiche? OUR ALLIES like China more than they like US!

Source: http://pewglobal.org/reports/images/247-2.gif

The entire story is here: http://edition.cnn.com/2005/US/06/23/poll.america.ap/

Yes the polling was lowest among muslim nations.
What a surprise. I dont know why this is even considered a new story.

GarzaUK · 06-28-05, 07:25 AM

In Britain and basically Europe as well, people are very suspicious of the US and there "reasons" for the Iraqi War.

Isn't it curious though that Germany got 60% favourability from the US compared to 46% that France got. Even though Germany would have voted no in the UN. Germany and France were together in this one.

In my opinion France was made as a scapegoat, or else Germany's appproval ratings would be down as well.

akyron · 06-28-05, 07:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GarzaUK

In Britain and basically Europe as well, people are very suspicious of the US and there "reasons" for the Iraqi War.

Isn't it curious though that Germany got 60% favourability from the US compared to 46% that France got. Even though Germany would have voted no in the UN. Germany and France were together in this one.

In my opinion France was made as a scapegoat, or else Germany's appproval ratings would be down as well.

Yes france scaped themselves quite thoroughly.

Memos: U.N. Knew Saddam Violated Sanctions

In 2000, Iraq was reported to have eroded sanctions and resumed commercial and diplomatic ties with many countries. Saddam got more than a dozen countries to start commercial flights to Baghdad, reopened a long-closed oil pipeline to Syria and illegally imposed a surcharge on its oil customers.

Many of the documents focus on U.S. and British efforts to end the illegal surcharges, which ranged between 20 and 70 cents a barrel of oil, according to a Feb. 13, 2001, letter from U.N. oil monitors.

Washington and London eventually succeeded in getting the sanctions committee to set the price of Iraqi oil at the end of every month - rather than the beginning - to prevent Iraq from taking advantage of fluctuations in the oil market to impose the surcharges.

The two countries said the policy cut illegal payoffs to Saddam's government. But U.N. officials and council members, including Russia and France, demanded an end to the retroactive pricing policy because it led to a sharp drop in oil exports, which meant less money for the oil-for-food program.

Hence less kick backs.

GarzaUK · 06-28-05, 07:39 AM

Then why wasn't Russia victimised the same as France was? Russia was going to veto it as well you know, not just France.

If you actually heard France's dialogue, they were not against the Iraq invasion, they just wanted more time for the weapons inspectors to do their job.

But I suppose we all know now that the WMD's were just a legal front for the USA's realy intentions for going to war.

galenrox · 06-28-05, 09:37 AM

At least we know we can count on the Poles, even after all of the jokes! It's good to know who your friends are.

Shadowlands · 06-28-05, 06:29 PM

Thats not a surprise.

26 X World Champs · 06-28-05, 07:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by akyron

Yes the polling was lowest among muslim nations.
What a surprise. I dont know why this is even considered a new story.

Look again? The ratings are from European countries ONLY (except for Canada and the USA). Not sure where you see Muslim nations?

akyron · 06-29-05, 06:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 26 X World Champs

Look again? The ratings are from European countries ONLY (except for Canada and the USA). Not sure where you see Muslim nations?

"The United States' favorability rating was lowest among three Muslim nations which are also U.S. allies -- Turkey, Pakistan and Jordan -- where only about one-fifth of those polled viewed the U.S. in a positive light."

I try to look up peoples "facts" on my own before responding if I have time.

GySgt · 06-29-05, 07:24 AM

It's a good thing we don't run our country or conduct policies to the fickle public that don't know what they want from day to day or is persuaded from one speech to the next. As far as the outside country mentality...who cares? They'll get over it the next time they need us.

Polls are always such a stupid thing to bring up. They only serve to tell the Presidents how best to appease rather than lead and are subject to change from one day to the next.