World opinion not favorable to Bush
Whenever the Bush camp demands that Kerry identify the “foreign leaders” who hope he will defeat Bush in November, may I suggest that Kerry merely point to recent poll results that show that much of the world is suspicious of Bush?
“Well, you can count on foreign leaders to be in touch with their constituencies,” Kerry could say, “and most of the world seems to distrust the Bush administration.”
European distrust of U.S. role sharpens
One year after the war in Iraq, European distrust of the United States has intensified, with sharp doubts among America’s closest allies of the Bush administration’s motives in the war on terror, a global opinion survey has found.
The poll of more than 7,500 people in nine countries, conducted in late February and early March by the nonpartisan Pew Research Center, before the bombings in Spain, showed that anger toward America is still fierce in Muslim countries, too, 12 months after the war began.
The IHT article goes on to state that “even in Turkey, an American partner in NATO, 31 percent felt such attacks were justifiable.” That’s a shocking statement: Even among our allies, there are people who feel we deserve to be attacked.
And it’s not just the predominantly Muslim that have hard feelings, either:
Majorities in the three countries - historically Washington’s closest NATO partners - also said that as a consequence of the war they had less confidence that the United States is trustworthy. Mistrust was expressed by 82 percent in Germany, 78 percent in France and 58 percent in Britain.
And what do you suppose the reason for this is?
According to Francois Heisbourg, director of the Foundation for Strategic Research in Paris, alienation is increasing in Europe “because there’s been no give on the Bush side.”
He goes on to say that “there is a widespread perception in Europe that we have the choice of being treated as a vassal…or being treated as an antagonist.”
Well, yes, that is the Bush administration’s position in a nutshell, isn’t it?
As grounds for resentment, he cited continuing American neglect of European sentiment on issues ranging from the Kyoto Protocol on the environment to the treatment of prisoners at the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
These things are decried at home as well, but the Bush administration has a selective deafness that seems to appear whenever these issues are brought up.
The survey results also indicate that there has been no rebound among America’s allies of post-Sept. 11 sympathy for the United States, which dissipated in the glare of European disapproval during the build-up to war.
Quite the contrary: Majorities in France, Germany, Russia, Turkey, Pakistan, Jordan and Morocco said they thought the U.S.-led war on terrorism was not sincere.
Anyone who is paying any attention should realize that the war on terrorism is mostly a political ploy. If Bush were truly sincere about it, he wouldn’t make such a mess of it every step of the way.
European dislike of President George W. Bush, too, has not diminished. Majorities in every country surveyed expressed unfavorable views, with negative opinion of Bush in France and Germany—85 percent—higher than in Muslim countries like Pakistan and Turkey.
So, Bush wants to know who these “foreign leaders” are. Do we really need to name them? All of them?! Producing an exhaustive list could take a really long time. Why does Bush really want to know, anyway? So he can antagonize these countries even more and sink our standing with the world even further into negative territory?
The Christian Science Monitor has a good take on what needs to happen to set things right again.
Spain’s wake-up call to US - to lead, listen to global constituents
Spain’s rebuff of the ruling Popular Party on Sunday was a slap in the face to the Bush administration, and a potential setback for US plans in Iraq and the fight against terror.
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Democracy’s influence on international relations will only increase as liberalism spreads and wealthier, better-educated peoples become more effective, aggressive advocates for their views.
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As the Spanish backlash illustrates, alliances that rely solely on individual leaders and parties are frighteningly vulnerable, and are no substitute for acceptance of shared values and priorities across a society - something the Bush administration as failed to do virtually anywhere.
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Instead of trying to circumvent or override the role of democratic forces, the US should change its global leadership style to harness this powerful trend.
I can think of one way to “change [America’s] global leadership style” right away: Elect John Kerry. The world will welcome any change after being so transparently used by the Bush administration.
