By Patricia H. Kushlis
Note: Here follows the text of my speech for The League of Women Voters of Central New Mexico on Thursday, July 10, 2008. The numerous questions and comments that followed were every bit as good as my talk.
It’s a pleasure and an honor to be invited to speak to the League of Women Voters here in Albuquerque today. I want to thank Helen Wright, in particular, for asking me. I know the League has a long and honorable nonpartisan tradition in public service, in citizenship and especially in voter education. Your work is crucial in helping keep this country a democracy and, as we approach Elections 2008, it has never been more important than today.
I’m here to talk with you this noon about “The US Image Abroad – and How It Can Be Fixed.” My topic relates closely to the goals and activities of the League because the world has never been more interconnected. People abroad see the outcome of our November elections as important, if not vital, to their future welfare whether they live in Europe, Latin America, Asia or Africa. Lots of them wish they had the opportunity to cast their vote for our next president as well.
Here’s how I plan to structure my talk: 1) a review of how the US is currently seen abroad and why; 2) thoughts on how the situation can be changed; and 3) a few ideas on what the League in Central New Mexico can do to help make a difference. Finally, I’d like to leave time for your observations and questions at the end.
All the World’s a Stage: Perceptions of the US Abroad
In a recent article entitled “All the World’s a Stage” that introduced the results of this spring’s Pew Global Attitudes Project, an annual assessment conducted by the Pew Charitable Trusts, Andrew Kohut and Richard Wike, began as follows: “Simply put, America’s image in much of the Muslim world remains abysmal.”
Kohut is the president of the Pew Research Center and Director of its Global Attitudes Project. Wike is the project’s Associate Director.
Kohut and Wike tell us in this latest report issued in May 2008 that “between 2002 and 2007, the number of people with a favorable view of the United States fell in 26 countries of the 33 where . . . data is available.”
On the positive side, they report, however, that “in some Muslim nations, America’s image has rebounded slightly – in Jordan, for instance, the latest poll found that 20 percent of Jordanians held a positive view of the US – up from one percent in 2003 – two months after the start of the Iraq war and that in the Palestinian territories US favorability “climbed from less than one percent in 2003 to 13 percent in 2007. Those improvements, nevertheless, are nothing I would want to write home about to mother.
Moreover, favorability ratings of the US remain disturbingly low among many of our longtime European allies and they also dipped in Latin America. In Argentina, for instance, the US favorability rating is now at 16 percent and it’s very low in other parts of the non-Muslim world as well.
Why the dismal picture?
The Pew report tells us that many of the negatives relate to specific US foreign policies – in particular – the Iraq invasion and continuing US occupation of the country. The Iraq War not only solidified anti-Americanism in the Arab Middle East but it also extended it as far east as majority mainstream Muslim Indonesia and into Turkey, a US NATO ally, whose moderate Muslim population had been pro-American prior to 2003. Today, Indonesia shows a 29 percent favorable rating. Turkey comes in at nine percent, the bottom of all 47 countries surveyed this year - below even the Palestinian territories.
But many negative views of the US this year for the first time -and particularly across the Muslim world - extend beyond Iraq to the continuation of US and NATO military bases and actions in Afghanistan. Many Muslims think – including those surveyed in Western Europe – that the US is overreacting to international terrorism.
They have a point: like it or not, far more acts of terrorism are committed in the name of Islam by Muslims against other Muslims than against any other group or country. Furthermore, many groups that use terrorism are not Muslim at all. A few examples: the FARC in Colombia, our own Oklahoma City bombers, the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka (who initiated the modern suicide-bomber), November 17 in Greece and the one I know best because it was active when I worked there – and the IRA, prior to the Irish Peace Accords.
Meanwhile, 60 percent of the mainstream Muslims surveyed by Pew worry that US military strength “might someday be directed at them.” This fear is particularly prevalent (76 percent) in Turkey. Many Muslims – including those in Turkey - do not trust US explanations for the “war on terror.” Finally, American power is deeply resented across the globe – but especially in Muslim countries.
US policies towards Israel are also a major irritant, not only among Muslims, but also among non-Muslim Europeans. Even in Israel, 42 percent of the Israelis polled think the US favors their country too much.
Now I want to draw a distinction between dislike for US government policies and for American citizens – like you and me. There, the record is not so dismal. In 14 of 23 countries polled by Pew, Americans as people are popular in Canada, the UK, Italy, France, Japan and Germany (in that order of descending popularity). We are not, however, particularly well received in Mexico, China and Spain. Although in all 47 countries surveyed, American citizens are seen more favorably than US foreign policies.
What can be done to improve the situation?
It’s not fun to occupy the position of the world’s most “hated nation.” The good news is that it doesn’t have to be that way. Turning the situation around, however, will not be easy, and as long as the US “remains the world’s dominant power, there will always be fear of our intentions and actions.” But a lot can be done – and our next president – who ever he is – will have that, among other, Herculean tasks in front of him.
There will be a grace period for either John McCain or Barak Obama in terms of world public opinion. Although as recent polls in France and elsewhere in Europe have indicated, Obama holds European hearts and minds in ways McCain does not. I think, however, either will be given a period of time – perhaps six months to a year to begin to turn US foreign policies – around.
A few suggestions for change
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