Blogs and Stories
They Still Hate Us
Jay Directo, AFP / Getty Images
After Barack Obama’s election, the world was supposed to fall in love with America again. But as the BBC’s Katty Kay notes, a new poll shows that that the world isn’t in any hurry to forgive.
Remember how there was no contest between Barack and Hillary in the Paris primary? How the voters of North London picked Obama over McCain in overwhelming numbers? And then how President Obama was going to transform America’s image in the world overnight? Well, not so much.
It seems we’ve fallen head over heels for the new cool guy in the White House but we’re not yet ready to commit to a long-term relationship with the rest of the American family.
According to a new BBC poll, those ungrateful foreigners have embraced America’s new president without really changing their opinion of the United States as a whole. The poll of 21 countries (including Ghana, where, incidentally, views of the US have improved, so that’s a big relief) was conducted after the US election. It suggests the world is optimistic that Obama will improve international relations but there has been no corresponding surge in pro-American sentiment. Views of the US have improved, modestly, but are still predominantly negative.
It seems we’ve fallen head over heels for the new cool guy in the White House but we’re not yet ready to commit to a long-term relationship with the rest of the American family. (As a long-term resident of the US with three American children, I allow myself free passage between “them” and “us” on the status of foreigners.) After eight years of what’s been referred to as domestic abuse, the world is still wary and simply trading George for Barack isn’t sufficient.
“What it says is that it wasn’t just George W. Bush’s personality that made America so unpopular, but there are underlying foreign-policy issues,” says Steven Kull, director of the Program on International Policy Attitudes, which conducted the BBC poll. “[Obama’s] election alone is not enough to turn the tide. People are still looking to see if there are significant changes in US policies.”
So, beyond the obvious, Iraq, what’s got the world so het up? And can Obama do much to change it?
According to the more than 13,000 noble global souls with enough time on their hands to take part in the survey, there is widespread disappointment that America is failing to live up to her own ideals. People don’t like the way the US is using force. They are upset that America doesn’t abide by international laws. They say the US is insensitive to civilian casualties in the war in Afghanistan and that the US military presence in the Persian Gulf is a threatening force. And before my inbox is filled with accusations of anti-American bias, this is polling guys, I’m just the scribe.
But here’s what’s really interesting and leads me to conclude the world is ready to embrace its big American sister again.
Scratch below those numbers and underneath the negativity you find a great respect for the ideals on which this country is founded. People around the world have a deep, positive attitude towards America’s commitment to democracy, the rule of law, human rights, and free speech. This is what America is perceived to stand for and it is, ironically, the very source of the disappointment.
If you love someone for their shining moral example and then they go rob a bank, you are far more disappointed than if the object of your adoration had been a well-known scoundrel.
It’s a tough role and one unique to the US. The world doesn’t have this complicated relationship with any other country. Frankly we don’t expect great things of Russia or China so we’re not open to disappointment. Moscow’s hardly been an inspiring example recently but you don’t hear about a huge wave of anti-Russian feeling around the world. The world doesn’t really care that much. Not even Ghana.
But America’s singular position also gives hope for rapid improvement. In ordering the closure of Guantanámo, for example, President Obama has already taken a significant step to showing this administration hears the world’s grievances. There will, of course, be problems—there is, just for example, not a single European country which is racing to send troops to the front lines in Afghanistan, but I’m ready to bet what remains of my devastated 401(k) on the next BBC poll showing a distinct improvement in US-global relations.
Indeed, the thaw has already begun. This week foreign ministers from Britain, Germany, and France tackled each other in an undignified scrum to be first into the office of the new secretary of state (which, purely for accuracy’s sake, Britain won and France lost, leaving Paris to protest it wasn’t a race at all. “It’s not the Tour de France,” said a French government spokesman, which, of course, simply confirmed that it was.)
America, despite its size and power, prefers to be liked rather than hated, respected rather than dismissed. And that’s just the way the world likes it, too. Let the romance continue.
Katty Kay covers US politics for the British Broadcasting Corporation and is Washington correspondent for BBC World News America. Kay is a regular contributor on Meet the Press, The Chris Matthews Show and a guest host for the Diane Rehm Show. She is the author, with Claire Shipman, of the upcoming book Womenomics: Write Your Own Rules for Success.
How Rich People Smoke Pot
Paul Schrodt is a writer living in New York City. He has contributed to New York magazine, Radar, and Esquire.com.
Justice Clinton?
As vice chairman of Public Strategies and president of Maverick Media, Mark McKinnon has helped meet strategic challenges for candidates, corporations and causes, including George W. Bush, John McCain, Governor Ann Richards, Charlie Wilson, Lance Armstrong, and Bono. McKinnon is co-chair of Arts & Labs, a collaboration between technology and creative communities that have embraced today's rich Internet environment to deliver innovative and creative digital products to consumers.
The Lockerbie Outrage Gap
Katty Kay is the Washington Correspondent for BBC World News America. She is the author, along with Claire Shipman, of Womenomics: Write Your Own Rules for Success. Kay has covered Washington since 1996 and is a contributor on "Meet the Press", "Larry King Live", "The Chris Matthews Show" and a regular guest host for Diane Rehm on NPR.
I Just Had a Baby, I'll Call You Back
Katty Kay is the Washington Correspondent for BBC World News America. She is the author, along with Claire Shipman, of Womenomics: Write Your Own Rules for Success. Kay has covered Washington since 1996 and is a contributor on "Meet the Press", "Larry King Live", "The Chris Matthews Show" and a regular guest host for Diane Rehm on NPR.
Claire Shipman is the senior national correspondent for ABC News' Good Morning America and a regular on This Week with George Stephanopoulos. Previously, Shipman was the White House correspondent for NBC news and a reporter for CNN in Moscow, where she earned multiple awards for her coverage of the demise of the Soviet Union. She currently lives in Washington, D.C., with her husband and two children.
Can Women Save the Economy?
Katty Kay is the Washington Correspondent for BBC World News America. She is the author, along with Claire Shipman, of Womenomics: Write Your Own Rules for Success. Kay has covered Washington since 1996 and is a contributor on "Meet the Press", "Larry King Live", "The Chris Matthews Show" and a regular guest host for Diane Rehm on NPR.
Claire Shipman is the senior national correspondent for ABC News' Good Morning America and a regular on This Week with George Stephanopoulos. Previously, Shipman was the White House correspondent for NBC news and a reporter for CNN in Moscow, where she earned multiple awards for her coverage of the demise of the Soviet Union. She currently lives in Washington, D.C., with her husband and two children.
Lotto1
Wow Katty what an article. Sixteen days in office and Obama hasn't turned around a decade of murder, hatred and dishonesty. Maybe Bush can come back. Right Katty?
liviapeacock
I used to care deeply about what other countries thought of the U.S. Then I began hosting exchange students. Yes, they are teenagers, who admittedly, are the worst demographic to represent a nation, but on the whole, I think I'm getting a pretty up close and personal look at those from other places. I see lots of similarities.
We're not that bad, even if they're just not that into us.
thibaud
Few hardy perennials of the media elicit so much bullsh*t commentary as anti-americanism. Americans are somehow too secular (in muslim and traditionalists' eyes) and too religious (in post-Christian European eyes); too domineering and too reluctant to lead; obese spendthrifts and stingy protectionists who don't buy enough of other nations' products.
An close study of anti-americanism over the years would show that the biggest driver of nations' attitudes about America are internal and regional politics that have nothing to do with the size of the gap between American behavior and American ideals.
When we saved muslim lives by bombing Orthodox Serbian killers in April 1999, Russians attacked the US Embassy in Moscow-- and lots of muslims hated us anyway, a few of them setting about laying plans that very month for the 9/11 attacks. The high water mark of French anti-American paranoia in recent years was not 2003 but 1992, when the collapse of the Soviet Union deprived France of its ability to triangulate vs the US hyperpower. When we tilted toward Pakistan in the 1970s and 1980s, the Indians hated us; now that we're deepening our emerging alliance with India, the Pakistanis hate us. America's popularity under GW Bush in China and India was quite high, and will almost certainly fall in the next several years as the economy worsens and Obama's team succumbs to protectionist demands from their party's left wing.
ArthurianLegend
I thought this was a sarcastic article. You think you can erase 8 to, theoretically, 200 ) years of "our way or the highway" mentalities in a fortnight? This detracts from this Web site. Michael Phelps smoking pot articles are probably more substantial than this.
neerajamb
Oh yes, I forgot- the world should be so grateful to the US, for at last gathering enough brain to elect a man that will not completely destroy the world. And by the way, people in other countries are not wasting every waking moment about you.People loved the outcome of the election; now they have gone back to worrying about their economies. In spite of what you imagine, not everything is about the US. Get over it and stop whining.
OttoDog
No surprises here...
Of course countries that hate us are glad Obama's president!
CareerSoldier
Of course we'd rather be liked than not But given the choice between being liked or acting to protect our national interests and security, being liked comes in a very distant second.
Harley2002
So the world does not like us? Well Boo Hoo Hoo. If it were not for us most of the world would be under dictatorships now. You ungrateful morons. Hope you don't need our help again because as far as I am concerned you can all kiss our asses. Sounds like envy to me.
cyberwriter
Well - everyone has an opinion. I am glad that they just don't expect things to change so easily. The US has come to the aid during wars of those countries you mentioned - and we were liked, but only for a little bit. Then we were "not so liked".
Yep. I guess that no matter what we do, there will be always a need someplace to dislike us, and like us at the same time.
Kind of like having a cat and liking him, but hating to clean the kitty litter.
Chris1514
"They still hate us." Who are "they?" Oh, you mean all those countries who won't lift a finger to defend themselves and who hide under our skirts every time there's a bully around? Or the ones who go around cutting people's heads off?
scott63
Thibaud has it exactly right and Americans know it, dosen't matter what we do right or wrong somebodies gonna be on the news burning our flag, we accept that' price you pay to be the big boy on the block, I mean who care's if somebody burns a french flag, that wont make the news. Neerajamb however is dead wrong, Americans as a whole except for the dolts on the left could care less what other countries think, and as far as whinning when was the last time you heard America whine about what England, or France, or Germany, or any other country's been doing without the rest of the world's permission.
wilsonv
I don't think alot of you read the whole thing.
DissentFromDayOneDOTcom
Barry Soetoro: he's already a worst president than Dhimmy Carter, after only 2 weeks!
What's to hate zErope? You got what you wanted: CHANGE! roflmao!
Peter0000
The character of this great republic is not defined by foreign opinions. Appeasement to gain favor or to "improve" our image will not protect us or strengthen us. In fact I would argue it will only weaken us. The "cool guy" image is great for the AF1 flying jet magazine reporter, but is meaningless to world realities. Paper mache will demonstrate more fortitude than liberal idealogues who cling to their hollywood causes to soothe their guilt complexes. For the record, other polls indicate that the "fallen head over heels syndrome" is quickly waning as our new paper mache in chief's extensive experience profile is quickly realized by the American people.
mindlessmissy
Well , according to the article, the world likes Obama the person ...
So before making statements like, "What it says is that it wasn't just George Bush's personality that made America so unpopular, but there are underlying foreign policy issues ..." maybe someone should commission a poll that asks the world if they like Bush personally ...
My guess will be a huge majority will dislike Bush and therein lies the crux of Obama's chances of actually changing America's image in the 4 YEARS he has left ( or 8 )) ...
Thank you.
As a first time user, your comment has been submitted for review. It can take anywhere from a few hours to a day or two for your comment to be reviewed, depending on the time of week and the volume of comments we receive.