AmericanConscience.Org
A voice in the wilderness
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Linguistics / World View of America
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Agence France-Presse
2005.01.19
Much of world thinks Bush is dangerous
LONDON, Jan 19 (AFP) - A wide majority of people questioned in a BBC World Service
global opinion poll published Wednesday believe that US President George W. Bush has
made the world more dangerous.
Almost half of the nearly 21,000 people in 21 countries who responded to the poll
also made no distinction between the Bush administration and America itself.
They saw US influence in the world as largely negative and viewed Americans
negatively as well. In none of the countries polled was there support for contributing
troops to Iraq.
"Negative feelings about Bush are high and are generalizing to the American people who
reelected him," said Steven Kull, director of the Program on International Policy Attitudes at
the University of Maryland, which carried out the poll in collaboration with the international
polling company GlobalScan.
"This is quite a grim picture for the US," he said.
In senate confirmation hearings, Bush's nominee as secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice
Tuesday acknowledged the need for more diplomacy and for the rebuilding of alliances.
She said the UN interaction with the world "must be a conversation not a monologue."
But typically, one British contributor to the World Service web site Wednesday said Bush's
re-election "means more pollution, war and social injustice (particularly in America)." He
asked, "Whatever happened to the freedom-loving, forward-thinking, right-minded people
that made America the envy of the rest of us?"
On average across all countries, the BBC poll indicated that 58 percent of people believe
Bush's re-election has made the world more dangerous. Only in three countries, Poland,
India and the Philippines, was there a majority of support for Bush.
But even in traditional US allies such as Germany, France and Britain, as well as in
neighboring Canada and Mexico, sentiment was predominantly anti-Bush. In Turkey, a US
ally and the only Muslim member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, 82 percent of
those polled said Bush's re-election was negative for world peace.
Anti-Bush sentiment was also strong in Latin America, with 79 percent of those polled in
Argentina and 78 percent in Brazil describing his re-election in negative terms.
In the poll, which took place from November 15 to January 5, between 500 and 1,800
people were surveyed in each country. The margin of error in extrapolating the results to
the entire population was placed bretween 2.5 and four percentage points, depending on
the country.
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PIPA
2005.01.19
BBC World Service Poll
In 18 of 21 Countries Polled, Most See Bush’s Reelection
as Negative for World Security
India, Philippines and Poland See Bush’s Reelection as Positive
Substantial Minority Now Feels Worse Toward American People
More See US Influence in World as Negative Than Positive
No Country Supports Contributing Troops to Iraq
According to a new BBC World Service Poll of twenty-one countries from all regions of the
world, the reelection of President Bush is seen as negative for world peace and security by
a majority in sixteen countries and a plurality in another two.
On average across all countries, 58 percent said that Bush’s reelection was negative, while
26 percent said that it was positive for global security.
The most negative countries are western European, Latin American and Muslim ones. The
only three countries in which a majority or plurality see Bush’s election as positive are the
Philippines (63%), India (62%), and Poland (44%). The poll of 21,953 people was
conducted by the international polling firm GlobeScan together with the Program on
International Policy Attitudes (PIPA) at the University of Maryland.
The poll also finds that for a substantial minority worldwide these negative feelings about
Bush have generalized to the American people.
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Asked how Bush’s election has affected their feelings toward the American people, on
average, 42 percent said it made them feel worse toward the American people, while 25
percent said it made them feel better and 23 percent said it had no effect. Countries varied
widely. In seven countries clear majorities said that it made them feel worse—especially
Turkey (72%), France (65%), Brazil (59%) and Germany (56%). In only two did a majority
say it has made them feel better (the Philippines 78% and India 65%). In three countries
most said that it has had no effect on their feelings toward the American people — Russia
(66%), Japan (62%), and Poland (55%).
Clearly the negative attitudes toward Bush are not simply derived from anti-Americanism as
negative attitudes toward the US, while significant, are not as strong as for Bush. On
average a plurality of 47 percent say they now view US influence in the world as mostly
negative while 38 percent view it as mostly positive and 15 percent did not answer either
way. In
twelve countries a majority see US influence as mostly negative, with large majorities in
Argentina (65%), Germany (64%), Russia (63%), Turkey (62%), Canada (60%), and
Mexico (57%).
Though France is often presumed to be overwhelmingly anti-American, only a modest 54
percent majority said they viewed US influence as negative. Majorities see US influence as
positive in the Philippines (88%), South Africa (56%), India (54%), Poland (52%), and
South Korea (52%).
Asked how they now feel about contributing troops to Iraq, not a single country has a
plurality or majority in favor. On average, 70 percent are opposed, which includes 27
percent who said that Bush’s election made them feel more opposed. Interestingly, even in
the Philippines and Poland—countries that express positive feelings toward Bush and have
contributed troops to the operation in Iraq—majorities are opposed (Philippines 58%,
Poland 60%). The only country in which opposition is less than half is Japan (35%
opposed), but 54 percent declined to answer the question and only 11 percent were in
favor. The highest opposition is in Russia, at a near-unanimous 89 percent. [See chart on
below]
Steven Kull, director of PIPA, comments, “This is quite a grim picture for the US. Negative
feelings about Bush are high and are generalizing to the American people who reelected
him. And, support for contributing troops to Iraq is nowhere to be found. However, those
saying the US 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 US.”
Doug Miller, President of GlobeScan, comments, “Our research makes very clear that the
reelection of President Bush has further isolated America from the world. It also supports
the view of some Americans that unless his Administration changes its approach to world
affairs in its second term, it will continue to erode America’s good name, and hence its
ability to effectively influence world affairs.”
Some of the countries most negative about Bush’s reelection are traditional US allies.
These included all western European countries polled—Germany (77% negative), France
(75%), Britain (64%), though Italy was relatively moderate at 54 percent negative. Also
quite negative were Canada (67%) and Australia (61%). Japan, however, was again
somewhat noncommittal (positive 15%, negative 39%, no difference 31%, don’t know 15%).
Countries with predominantly Muslim populations are also quite negative. In Turkey,
though a US ally, an overwhelming 82 percent were negative about Bush’s reelection—the
highest of all countries polled. Also negative were Indonesia (68%), and Lebanon (64%).
Given that Latin America has had less direct involvement in the foreign policy issues of the
first Bush term, it is striking how negative public feelings are toward Bush there. Argentines
were 79 percent negative, as were 78 percent of Brazilians, 62 percent of Chileans and 58
percent of Mexicans.
The most mixed region is Asia. As mentioned, a large majority of Filipinos (63%) and
Indians (62%) feel positive about Bush’s reelection, while the Japanese were noncommittal.
However the majority of Indonesians (68%), Chinese (56%) and South Koreans (54%) are
negative.
In the one African country polled, South Africa, a majority (57%) is negative.
Russians lean negative (39% negative to 16% positive) but, similar to the Japanese, nearly
half either said Bush’s reelection made no difference to them (32%) or gave no answer
(14%).
Globally, demographic variations are generally modest. Those with higher education and
higher income are a bit more likely to have negative feelings about Bush’s reelection and
to feel worse toward the American people. Women and those with higher incomes are a bit
more likely to oppose sending troops to Iraq.
The clear exception is for religion. Muslims are especially likely to say that Bush’s
election is negative (76%), that they now feel worse toward the American people
(62%), that US influence in the world is mainly negative (60%) and that they are
opposed to contributing troops to the Iraq operation (82%). Christians are slightly
less negative than the general sample.
Among all countries polled that currently have forces in Iraq, in no case was
there majority public support – something potentially problematic for the Iraq
operation. Majorities oppose contributing troops in Italy (65%), Britain (63%),
Poland (60%), Australia (56%), and South Korea (56%). Once again Japan was more
noncommittal with a plurality of 35% opposed, but a notable 54 percent not
answering the question. Steven Kull notes, “This pervasive opposition to
participation in the Iraq operation suggests that in the future the US may have
more difficulty in getting participation in US-led military ventures.”
In addition to the 21 countries polled, a poll of 1,000 Americans was conducted. Not
surprisingly 56% of Americans expressed the view that Bush’s reelection is positive for
world security (negative 39%) and 71% said that the US is having a mostly positive
influence in the world (25% mostly negative).
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