>Sometimes I think the right has completely shot its wad - the
>disaster of W wasn't just a petit mort but a grand one. Heck it's
>been almost 30 years since the right-wing reaction set in and it may
>be time for something new. Something not great, of course, but not
>McCain either. He's Mr Surge, after all, and this is not the time to
>be identified with getting deeper into Iraq.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/how-the-mighty-are-fallen/2007/01/23/1169330868042.html
How the mighty are fallen
Sydney Morning Herald January 23, 2007
Even from Australia, the US is seen as playing a negative role in world affairs, writes Cynthia Banham.
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 authoritative BBC World Service survey of more than 26,000 people from 25 countries across Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East shows that 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 the 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 the sectarian violence gripping the capital.
The polling also showed global public opinion was against US handling of detainees at Guantanamo Bay, where David Hicks has been held without trial for more than five years, with 67 per cent of respondents opposed.
The countries whose citizens were most strident in their opposition over Guantanamo Bay were Germany, Egypt, Turkey, Portugal, Italy, France and Lebanon, with 80 per cent or more opposed. Of the Australians polled, 77 per cent disapproved of the US Guantanamo Bay policies, while 76 per cent 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 America's influence in the world was "mainly positive". They were Kenya, Nigeria, the Philippines and the US.
The countries most disparaging of the role of 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 per cent 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 impact on world affairs fell by 13 points to 72 per cent, in India by 14 points to 30 per cent, and in Indonesia by 19 points to 21 per cent.
Respondents were polled on eight topics related to US foreign policy. In addition to Iraq, Guantanamo Bay and its global influence, people were asked about America's role in the Middle East. They were also asked how they thought the US had handled Iran's nuclear program, the war between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, North 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 of the people polled said they believed the US provoked more conflict in the region than it prevented.
They were followed by China, Germany, Britain, Lebanon, Russia, Turkey, South Korea, Portugal and Australia, where 70 per cent or more said the US was not a stabilising force in the region.
Sixty-five per cent of 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.
This is the first of three special global polls. The next, on relations between Islam and the West, will run early next month. The third set of polls, looking at positive and negative influences in a range of countries, including Australia, is planned for mid-February.
http://www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2007/01/23/300_worldviews.jpg
In total 26,381 citizens in 25 countries were interviewed between November 3 and January 9. Polling was conducted for the BBC World Service by the international polling firm GlobeScan and its research partners in each country. In 10 of the 25 countries, the sample was limited to major urban areas. The margin of error per country ranges from +/-2.5 to 4 per cent. For more details, please see the Methodology section or visit www.globescan.com or www.pipa.org.
In total 26,381 citizens in 25 countries were interviewed between November 3 and January 9. Polling was conducted for the BBC World Service by the international polling firm GlobeScan and its research partners in each country. In 10 of the 25 countries, the sample was limited to major urban areas. The margin of error per country ranges from +/-2.5 to 4 per cent. For more details, please see the Methodology section or visit www.globescan.com or www.pipa.org.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/when-the-sheriff-falls-from-favour/2007/01/23/1169330868080.html
