Poll finds widespread discontent with U.S.

By Dana Milbank
The Washington Post

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The survey, the largest of its kind, found slipping support for the U.S. war on terrorism in most countries and negative views of the United States in all foreign countries polled except Britain. Big majorities said that the United States does not consider other countries' interests and that Europe should develop more diplomatic and military independence.

Majorities in all foreign countries said the war in Iraq had hurt or had no effect on the war on terrorism, and only in the United States did a majority believe that Saddam Hussein's ouster will make the Middle East more democratic.

The nonpartisan Pew Research Center, which conducted the survey, said the U.S. image in the world has never polled lower.

"This poll says to me the discontent with America is a long-term problem that U.S. leaders have to confront," poll director Andrew Kohut said. "We've never seen ratings as low as this for America." Kohut has been conducting similar surveys in Europe for two decades.

The nine-country poll was conducted in late February and early March. Respondents were contacted by telephone in the United States, Great Britain, France and Germany. Face-to-face interviews were conducted in Jordan, Pakistan, Russia, Turkey and Morocco.

The margin of error for the results from Great Britain, France and Germany — based on interviews with about 500 adults in each country — is plus or minus 5 percentage points. The margin of error in the other countries, where the sample size was about 1,000 adults, is plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.

The findings add fuel to an argument over the United States' standing in the world sparked by last week's bombings in Madrid and the subsequent election of a new Spanish government that is reconsidering that country's presence in Iraq. The issue has gained prominence in the presidential campaign since Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., said last week that many foreign leaders hope he defeats President Bush.

The Pew poll was conducted before the Madrid bombings.

Only 14 percent of Germans, 15 percent of French, 28 percent of Russians and 7 percent of Pakistanis polled viewed Bush favorably. Britons, at 39 percent, had the most-enthusiastic view among foreigners. In 1991, 75 percent of Germans and 72 percent of Russians had a favorable view of President George H.W. Bush, the current president's father.

Views of the United States were somewhat higher, although Britain was the only country where a majority had a favorable impression. In 2002, Russia, Germany and France had majorities supportive of the United States. Americans themselves continued to be viewed favorably by people in Britain, France, Germany and Russia, but not by those in the Muslim countries.
 
While Britain and Russia continued to support the U.S. fight against terrorism, support has dropped sharply in France and Germany, where 50 percent and 55 percent, respectively, favor U.S. anti-terrorism efforts. Support in the Muslim world has improved but remains low.

Pluralities in all countries but Britain said the United States is insincere in its anti-terrorism fight, while pluralities in all foreign countries said they had less trust in America as a result of the war in Iraq. Majorities in many countries said the true reason for the war on terrorism is to control Mideast oil and to dominate the world.

Ominously, the poll showed some increased support in Muslim countries for suicide bombings and other forms of violence: 82 percent of Jordanians, 40 percent of Moroccans, 41 percent of Pakistanis and 15 percent of Turks said such violence could be justified. Majorities in Pakistan and Jordan had favorable views of Osama bin Laden, while majorities in Jordan and Morocco said attacks against Americans and Westerners in Iraq are justified.

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