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Phenixrising
Citizen
Username: Phenixrising
Post Number: 316
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 19, 2005 - 12:42 pm: | 
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Global Poll Shows Negative Reaction to Bush Win
Wed Jan 19, 8:26 AM ET
Reuters
By Michael Holden
LONDON (Reuters) - A majority of people surveyed in a global poll think the re-election of George Bush has made the world more dangerous and many view Americans negatively as well, the BBC said Wednesday.
The survey by the British broadcaster showed that only three countries -- India, the Philippines and Poland -- out of 21 polled thought the world was safer following Bush's election win in November.
Bush will be inaugurated for his second term Thursday. On average across all countries, 58 percent of the 22,000 surveyed said they believed Bush's re-election made the world more dangerous.
"This is quite a grim picture for the U.S.," said Steven Kull, director of the Program on International Policy Attitudes at America's University of Maryland. The survey found that 56 percent of Americans thought Bush's win was good for the world with 39 percent disagreeing.
Traditional U.S. allies in western Europe, such as Britain (64 percent), France (75 percent), and Germany (77 percent), were among the most negative about Bush's re-election. A majority in Italy (54 percent) and Australia (61 percent), which both have troops in Iraq, also thought his win had made the world more dangerous.
Anti-Bush sentiment was strongest in Turkey, with 82 percent thinking his win was bad for peace compared to just 6 percent in support. A large majority in Latin American countries, including 58 percent in close neighbor Mexico, were also negative.
Analysts said the poll had far-reaching implications, suggesting a serious rise in anti-U.S. feeling in general, with 42 percent saying it had made them feel worse about Americans compared to 25 percent who made it think more of them.
IRAQ OPPOSITION
There was also overwhelming opposition to sending troops to Iraq, even among close allies such as Britain. "Fully one in four British citizens say the Bush re-election has made them more opposed to sending troops to Iraq, resulting in a total of 63 per cent now opposed," said Doug Miller, president of GlobeScan which carried out the poll.
"Our research makes very clear that the re-election of President Bush (news - web sites) has further isolated America from the world."
The survey found that 47 percent of those questioned now see U.S. influence in the world as largely negative. "Those saying the U.S. itself is having a clearly negative influence in the world still do not constitute a definitive world-wide majority, suggesting there may be some underlying openness to repairing relations with the U.S.," he said.
The survey was conducted between Nov. 15, 2004 and Jan. 5, 2005. |
overtaxdalready
Citizen
Username: Overtaxdalready
Post Number: 327
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 19, 2005 - 12:56 pm: |
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The Bush-haters will work themselves into a frenzy over this poll.
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Robert Livingston
Citizen
Username: Rob_livingston
Post Number: 700
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 19, 2005 - 1:04 pm: |
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Not really surprising. Bush has done nothing but hurt this country, our reputation and he continues to make Americans and our allies less safe.
If our country was smarter as a whole, we'd be in a position of esteemed leadership in this world.
Instead, we have a frightened populace inhabiting mostly the red states who voted their own economic and social suicide by swallowing the apocalyptic pronouncements of Bush and Cheney. Bush extorted these votes from the distressed then he'll continue to loot the treasury by transfering America's wealth to the upper one percent of the country.
That was the plan all along.
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Southerner
Citizen
Username: Southerner
Post Number: 58
Registered: 2-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 19, 2005 - 1:11 pm: |
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This just in - in a recently taken United States poll the American people have elected George Bush (Republican) as President over John Kerry (Democrat). Sorry to interject the big picture again but I'm just an unintelligent red-stater who is waiting for the apocalypse. |
notehead
Supporter
Username: Notehead
Post Number: 1885
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 19, 2005 - 2:16 pm: |
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I don't think we needed a poll to tell us this, but it's good to get the confirmation.
Isn't it telling that the countries who arguably know us the best, such as Britain, are among those who agree that Bush is making the world more dangerous.
Let's not forget that the majority can be wrong. But in this instance, they're not. |
Mustt_mustt
Citizen
Username: Mustt_mustt
Post Number: 206
Registered: 8-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 19, 2005 - 5:27 pm: |
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I suspect it's the Hindu right wingers the BBC interviewed in India - they are the folks who have their own axes to grind with the minority Muslims and Christians in India, with the former always being regarded with suspicion. For the Hindu nationalists, the militancy in Kashmir dovetails perfectly with the American "war on terror." Having visited India several times in the recent past, I can say that most people I've spoken to and the Indian press are extremely critical of the Bush administration, especially of the war against Iraq. |
tjohn
Citizen
Username: Tjohn
Post Number: 2866
Registered: 12-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 19, 2005 - 5:57 pm: |
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Whether you love Bush or hate Bush, this poll does not bode well for the United States. These sorts of public opinion results are unprecedented. It will be difficult or impossible for us to achieve our foreign policy objectives in a negative environment. Moreover, at a time when our relative economic strength continues to decline relative to the European Community, China and India, world opinion does matter. |
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