Can the US can apply decisive force to change this outcome?

March 19, 2003 9:11 PM

A new Pew Research pollconfirms the obvious. In 2002 world opinion of the US was slipping but still fairly high (as discussed in this thread). Pew now reports that favorable opinion of the US abroad has taken a nose dive. Of course, correllation does not indicate causation, but certainly this is driven by current events. It remains to be seen if this is indicative of a long-term trend.
posted by moonbiter (9 comments total)

vanity is a sin
posted by lightweight at 9:17 PM on March 19, 2003

Pew now reports that favorable opinion of the US abroad has taken a nose dive.

Dear World,

Thanks for the comments. We'll let you know when we give a shit.

Love,

USA
posted by Ayn Marx at 10:19 PM on March 19, 2003

By Jingo!
posted by y2karl at 10:30 PM on March 19, 2003

"We'll let you know when we give a shit."

I think we just lost a few more points.
posted by 2sheets at 10:48 PM on March 19, 2003

AM: can the same be said of this administration's attitude to public opinion, which was against going it alone in Iraq?
posted by Space Coyote at 11:55 PM on March 19, 2003

sin is a vanity.
posted by Satapher at 2:20 AM on March 20, 2003

This happens every time the Republicans win the White House - it was just the same with Regan. The reason is that whilst Democrat policies and politics have a resonance in Europe - we recognise them as part of our own political landscape and know how to engage with them, Republicanism is alien and difficult for us to understand. It's issues are not our issues, it's priorities are strange - at best irrelevant, at worst hostile.
posted by grahamwell at 2:56 AM on March 20, 2003

Dear World,

Thanks for the comments. We'll let you know when we give a shit.

Love,

USA

Read the following article from the Guardian: America's $400bn war bill . In particular: "Despite the Bush White House's unilateralism, America relies on the rest of the world to finance its deficits. The rest of the world was happy to do so when the US economy was strong, but investors' cash might go elsewhere if America no longer looks as if it is booming."
posted by salmacis at 4:02 AM on March 20, 2003

It's interesting to note that while France, Britain and Italy all desire a more independent diplomatic and security relationship with the US as compared to a year ago, Germany has moved in the opposite direction (although not by much).
posted by thewittyname at 7:25 AM on March 20, 2003