The Arab world’s opinion of the US has further deteriorated in the last two years over widespread impressions of an “unfair Middle East policy”, two new polls have found.
An overwhelming percentage of 3,300 Arabs polled said US policies, rather than American values, shaped their overall attitudes towards the US.
The polls underscored the frustrations with the Iraq war. The majority said the war would result in more chaos, more terrorism against the US, and less democracy.
Respondents answered “nothing at all” when asked to identify “the best thing that comes to mind” about America. Top responses to the “worst thing” about the US included “unfair Middle East policy”, US responsibility for “murdering Arabs” – primarily in Iraq – and the perception of US preoccupation with “Arab oil”.
[Source: Financial Times]
very true,yet some of our dear Arab fellows in Detroit danced on the streets the day Baghdad fall down!!! I don’t know what the hell they were thinking!! I understand the sufferings they’ve had from Sadam, but are they willing to pay any price to bring him down even if the price was the occupation!I hope we can learn from history!
It is scary that America has given itself such a bad reputation. But then again, the poll also said that Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden are the most admired leaders also. Shouldn’t that also be scary?
Yeah, it is scary.
But it’s only because they are the only people who have stood up against the US.
People don’t agree at all with what those people do, and they hate them for it, but still they admire their ability to defy the US.
It’s a weird love/hate situtation that’s mainly created by the US’s unfairness and bad policy towards the Middle East.
I dunno… It doesn’t make sense to admire a leader solely for their ability to oppose the US. I mean, if you admire them as a leader isn’t it implying that you’re admiring how they led their people also? Afterall, that’s what a leader does.
Oh well… Like most polls, the information they provide are limited.
Yeah I know it doesn’t make sense. That’s why I said it was a weird love/hate relationship.
For example. Everyone hates Saddam because of what he did to his people but still some sort of admire him because he’s the only Arab leader who could defy the US.
In fact, they don’t admire him, they admire the power and defiance he has in a time when everyone has lost hope.
And I agree, polls don’t offer enough information. But still their results are an important indication that the issue should be studied.