The world's love affair with Barack Obama is not quite over – but it's on the rocks. A survey of global opinion of the US president shows large numbers of non-Americans feel badly let down by the man awarded the 2009 Nobel peace prize.
A Pew Research Centre poll of attitudes toward the US in 21 countries found that confidence in Obama's foreign policy has fallen sharply since he took office three years ago, particularly over the use of drone attacks. Hopes that Washington would prove more internationalist, seek UN approval for military action and be more even-handed in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict have been dashed. Foreigners also feel let down by the president's inertia on climate change.
Perhaps most worryingly for Washington, the real collapse in confidence is over the US economy, with majorities in the UK, Germany and France saying that China is now the world's top economic power. But Obama still commands far more respect than his predecessor, George Bush, and most Europeans hope he is re-elected.
The poll reveals particular hostility to US drone attacks in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Yemen. Although Washington claims the attacks are carefully targeted at major terrorists, they frequently kill civilians. Full story...
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A Pew Research Centre poll of attitudes toward the US in 21 countries found that confidence in Obama's foreign policy has fallen sharply since he took office three years ago, particularly over the use of drone attacks. Hopes that Washington would prove more internationalist, seek UN approval for military action and be more even-handed in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict have been dashed. Foreigners also feel let down by the president's inertia on climate change.
Perhaps most worryingly for Washington, the real collapse in confidence is over the US economy, with majorities in the UK, Germany and France saying that China is now the world's top economic power. But Obama still commands far more respect than his predecessor, George Bush, and most Europeans hope he is re-elected.
The poll reveals particular hostility to US drone attacks in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Yemen. Although Washington claims the attacks are carefully targeted at major terrorists, they frequently kill civilians. Full story...
Related posts:
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