Pew Global Attitudes Project
America's Image Slips
But Allies Share U.S. Concerns about Iran, Hamas
The United States' global image has slipped again, even as Americans and publics of U.S. allies express common concerns over Iran's nuclear program and the Hamas Party's victory in Palestinian elections. The war in Iraq is a continuing drag on opinions of the U.S., not only in predominantly Muslim countries but in Europe and Asia as well. And despite growing worries over Iran's nuclear ambitions, America's presence in Iraq is cited at least as often as Iran - and in many countries much more often - as a danger to world peace.
The latest survey by the Pew Global Attitudes Project, conducted among nearly 17,000 people in the United States and 14 other nations from March 31-May 14, finds:
- Positive views of the United States have declined sharply in Spain (from 41% to 23%), India (71% to 56%), and Turkey (23% to 12%). Even in Indonesia, where U.S. tsunami aid helped lift America's image in 2005, favorable opinions of the U.S. have fallen (from 38% to 30%).
- Support for the U.S.-led war on terror, with few exceptions, is either flat or has declined; confidence in President Bush has fallen ever lower in Europe; and majorities in most countries believe that the U.S. will not achieve its objectives in Iraq.
- Americans and Western publics are increasingly concerned over Iran. Nearly half of Americans (46%) view the current government in Iran as a "great danger" to stability in the Middle East and to world peace, up from 26% in 2003. In Germany, Spain, France and Great Britain, the percentage of people who see Iran as a great danger has roughly tripled compared with three years ago. But Muslim publics are far less alarmed by Iran and its nuclear program.
- Divisions between the West and Muslim nations are even wider in opinions of the Hamas Party's victory in Palestinian elections. On balance, Americans and Western Europeans - except for the British - feel the Hamas victory is bad for the Palestinian people. Muslim publics generally disagree.
- Majorities in 10 of 14 foreign countries surveyed say the war in Iraq has made the world a more dangerous place. In Great Britain, 60% say the war has made the world more dangerous, compared with 30% who say it has made the world safer.
- The bird flu disease has attracted overwhelming interest in every country surveyed. But for the most part, concerns over the bird flu are limited to Asia.
- Global warming concerns are widespread in India and Japan - roughly two-thirds in each country say they worry a great deal about global warming. But in the U.S. and China, only about one-in-five say they worry a great deal about global warming.