The Decline in America's Reputation: Why?
Wasn't quite sure where to post this and I apologize in advance if this is a duplicate. This is a committee reprint from the Subcommittee on International Organizations, Human Rights, and Oversight of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. The link to the 47-page document in PDF format is below.
http://www.foreignaffairs.house.gov/110/42566.pdf
Executive Summary:
In the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, attack there was world-wide
sympathy and support for the United States. This was best summed up in
the headline in the French newspaper Le Monde—Nous sommes tous
Americains. (“We are all Americans now.”)
Since then, polls conducted by the U.S. Government and respected
private firms have revealed a precipitous decline in favorability toward the
United States and its foreign policy. The generally positive ratings from the
1950’s to 2000 moved to generally negative after 2002. As the very first
witness in a 10-hearing series with pollsters and regional analysts told the
Subcommittee—“We have never seen numbers this low.”
The reversal is unprecedented and widespread:
• A 45-percentage point drop in favorability in Indonesia; 41 in
Morocco; 40 in Turkey; and 27 in the United Kingdom;
• Among Muslims in Nigeria, favorable opinion fell 33 points, from
71 percent to 38 percent, within an eight-month period;
• A 26-point increase in Europe of the view that U.S. leadership in
world affairs is undesirable;
• Unfavorability rose to 82 percent in Arab countries and 86 percent
of Latin American elites now rate U.S. relations negatively; and
• 83 percent of countries in 2002 had a plurality of citizens judging
the United States favorably; by 2006 only 23 percent of countries
had a plurality saying that U.S. influence is positive.
While the United States can’t base its foreign policies on opinion polling—
either at home or abroad—this consistently negative view of U.S. foreign
policy is both a liability and a sign that something has gone seriously awry.
What happened? Why, as the question is often posed, do they hate us?
Comment:
Having leafed through the document, the answer seems to be one of two:
--We are hated for who we are.
--We are hated for our policies in the world which are perceived as hypocritical and in violation of our values.
And it's not just the Middle East that holds these views. The report cited a Russian high school text:
"American foreign policy is designed to dominate the strategic minerals of the Middle East through alliance with dictatorial regimes. In Asia and Latin America, it uses military force to threaten governments who challenge its commercial interests."
As a former US Navy Intelligence Specialist (IS), I would be interested in hearing any comments on this report.
Great Power means Great Responsibility
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Steve Blair
It's always easier to look on the US ....
Having Greater Power means also having Greater Responsibility.
Or, to put it like this: The Foreign Policy of the US is somewhat more important than that of Madagaskar and will be therefore looked at more closely.
Heh. Interesting list. I agree with most of it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Fuchs
...That's more than the Soviet Union had as foreign policy sins at its peak.
However since the USSR -- and a few others I cuold name in other times -- have engaged in exactly the same things to a greater extent than we ever have, you blew it when you added that.
With respect to your list, I suggest:
Torture. -- some, not systemic or widespread.
Heating up of international conflicts by threatening other countries (which is illegal). -- Illegal? How so? By what laws? Morally wrong in the view of some, perhaps but illegal? Nah...
Unnecessarily promoting a conflict with Russia. -- That's funny.
Disrespect towards U.N. -- that's even funnier. If you can produce any organization that does more to earn disrespect, please tell me what it is...
Spying on corporations and individuals even in allied countries. -- and you don't? Most other nations don't??? :D
Huge arms sales into crisis regions, to both sides. -- Let me count the Leopards...
Repeated friendly fire on allied troops. -- Yep, we are trigger happy. Poor training, no excuse. Not even that it's a fact of war that can occur even with the best trained troops.
Cheating the world economically. -- Do Daimler and BMW know this?
Over-stressing natural resources with wasteful consumption and economic behaviour. -- that's possibly true; that's why Mercedes and BMW sell so many cars here.
Quote:
The U.S. government needs to learn respect, quickly. Powers who don't respect others cannot expect good relations.
That's true. We can't.
One possible response ...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Fuchs
I have a terrible feeling that "Why?" was probably a honest question and needs a more elaborate answer...
Lying to us in the U.N. assembly.
Invading a sovereign country.
Refusing co-operation in many international treaties.
Bullying and disrespecting even close allies.
Kidnap of free individuals overseas.
Violating captured person's rights by denying both criminal and POW rights.
Torture.
Heating up of international conflicts by threatening other countries (which is illegal).
Unnecessarily promoting a conflict with Russia.
Disrespect towards U.N.
Spying on corporations and individuals even in allied countries.
Huge arms sales into crisis regions, to both sides.
Repeated friendly fire on allied troops.
Repeated attack on civilians by fighter-bombers "in self defence" (few accept this justification)
Cheating the world economically.
Over-stressing natural resources with wasteful consumption and economic behaviour.
That's more than the Soviet Union had as foreign policy sins at its peak.
The U.S. government needs to learn respect, quickly. Powers who don't respect others cannot expect good relations.
@Steve:
That's a typical point of view of Americans. Fact is that this might apply to some countries, but has no relevance about the general situation.
... to your list is that the anti-American propaganda campaign has been obviously effective.
To take just one point, "Disrespect towards U.N.," I have held the UN in contempt since Biafra. Self righteous posturing on nearly every humanitarian crisis since has only confirmed my opinion.
My point on this one, and I could make one similar on each of the issues raised, is that someone should explain, using concrete examples of quantifiable alleviation of human suffering, just exactly why the UN deserves any respect?
I grant you, the US commits more than its share of screw ups. But that's what happens when somebody steps forward, takes a moral position, and actually tries to accomplish something in the real world.
Step 1. Compare & Contrast, Step 2. Develop Solutions
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Fuchs
This "Why?" is a rhetorical question, isn't it?
The U.S. foreign policy is the greatest problem in international affairs to date.
Fuchs,
Your list and comments are interesting and worth thought. Holding up Russia as a contrast to the US is perhaps reflexive given our past history, however I would steer you towards an book entitled "The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers" by Paul Kennedy (ISBN 0-394-54674-1) published back in 1987 for additional comparison/contrast material. (I welcome any references, German is fine, that you are willing to share)
German history and methods as recorded in the history of the Catholic League and Protestant Union in proto-Germany during the 1600's appear to have some interesting similarities to things we see on a marco-scale today. Human nature seems to be constant despite geographical and temporal location in my eyes.
What is your proposed solution to the inequities of today that you see?
Regards,
Steve
The give away is the complete lack of charity, mein Freund
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Fuchs
@Wolfsberger;
That's a typical mistake that Americans do. The attitude is not anti-American, but anti-U.S. policy. The difference is crucial, and those who don't see it are blind to the real problem, excuse it away with the assumption that others are at fault.
Fuchs,
A propos of typical, your screed is very much that and I've heard variations on it as long as I have known Germans. This is a typical role many Germans like to play - the Oberlehrer. It's a national pasttime for many, this Besserwisserei, America is the favorite target but by no means the only one, and I witnessed it over and over again in the many years I lived in Germany, during the presidencies of Reagan, Bush I, Clinton and Bush II, so it's not just GWB and his administration who are at fault. In fact, it almost always starts out thus, "we are criticizing your government's policies, not your country," but quite often ends up in general criticisms (actually, just plain disapproval) of American life and society.
Let me preface my points by saying that I have lived in Germany over a decade, speak German, even studied at the University of the Bundeswehr (so I am not speaking out of ignorance), and that I agree with several of your complaints, and have been frequently embarrassed by the actions of the current administration, such as its clumsy and ham-fisted diplomacy. But your list amply makes my point, starting out with legitimate grievances (poor/ rude diplomatic treatment of allies), then quickly devolving into questionable and/or unsubstaniated examples of misconduct ("heating up of conflicts," arms sales, friendly fire*), then down to outright wild and defamatory slurs (current world economic difficulties solely fault of US) that can only reflect on the character of the people as a whole. So it seems to me that you, like a fair number of your fellow countrymen, use points of disagreement with our policies not for fair criticism and not with an interest as to how we could repair our relationship, but as a pretext to air deeper, atavistic animosities (and yes, there is long, long pedigree of this in Germany, as regards the US).
You know, with friends like you...
*I take particular umbrage at use of friendly fire incidents as some evidence of American misdeeds. I was and continue to be involved in the Coalition Combat Identification ACTD that is to identify, test and rush fielding of CID devices to prevent fratricides. Friendly fire is by no means only committed by the US, I can assure you, and to anyone with any exposure to the actual problem, particularly in the air to ground context, it is a difficult problem providing accurate CAS and avoiding fratricide. It is a testament to the professionalism of the CAS community that this does not happen more often. Fortunately your government's representatives to CCID take a more balanced and mature view of the problem that you seem to.