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WASHINGTON: Majorities in 19 countries across the globe see the United States as a bully willing to use its powerful military to promote its goals, reveals a recent opinion survey conducted by the University of Maryland.
The poll by the university’s Programme on International Policy Attitudes also shows that feelings towards the United States haven’t changed much since Barack Obama became the president.
The survey was conducted in 20 countries representing more than 60 per cent of the world’s population.
In 15 of 19 countries — excluding the United States — the majority sees Washington as bullying other countries with the threat of its powerful military. In 17 of the 19 countries the United States is seen as not obeying international law.
Yet majorities in 13 of the 19 countries — an average of 61 per cent — expect Mr Obama to have a good foreign policy.
Some 57 per cent of respondents surveyed in Iraq, 60 per cent in Egypt, 62 per cent in Pakistan, and 67 per cent in the Palestinian Territories say they have not too much confidence or no confidence at all, in Mr Obama.
They surveyors noted that the survey was conducted after Mr Obama’s speech in Turkey in early April and before his speech on the United States and the Muslim world in Cairo two months later.
Given the positive reaction to the Cairo speech, the surveyors believe that it could add a few percentage points to Mr Obama’s acceptance in the Muslim world.
‘We’ve seen some positive signs already. The people are hopeful, but they’re not convinced. It’s a kind of ‘show-me’ posture,’ said Steven Kull, the director of the programme.
‘At a certain point, though, when a whole series of things come together and a new narrative emerges about who Mr Obama is and who America is in the world now —and if that gels, then you will have a kind of jump in views.’
Positive Signals: There were similar results in Russia. The poll shows that Russia is the only non-Muslim-majority country polled whose majority — 55 per cent — didn’t express trust in Mr Obama, while less than half that percentage expressed trust.
The world average, on the other hand, found that 61 per cent of respondents trust the US leader.
But there were positive signals from Russia as well: A 47 per cent plurality said the United States is cooperative, and 41 per cent say it respects human rights.
But despite those signs of optimism, the predominant position in Russia is that the United States wants to have its own way in what Russia views as its sphere of influence. That includes Nato expansion and support for the former Soviet republic of Georgia.
There are two areas in which the United States did well. One is that is seen as being cooperative with most countries, for the most part, according to an average of 59 per cent of the 19 countries. They include Russia, at 47 per cent, and China, at 51 per cent.
The other area in which the United States did well was in respecting human rights. In, Azerbaijan, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Korea, around 80 per cent of the respondents drew that conclusion.
And in an average of all 19 countries — again, excluding the United States — 51 per cent agreed.