"Almost sort of" is a good qualifier. Your post IMO is quite accurate.
In my travels here and there since 1947, it is my observation that the US has never been truly popular or well liked. There are many reasons for that but relative wealth and the unconscious and unintended flaunting of it have been a big factor. Another is that we have helped many -- and no one like to be indebted. That many Americans appear loud and brash, unsophisticated and apparently even relatively uneducated to many does not help...
We have been tolerated because most societies are polite to strangers -- and the wealth got spread.
Like all human phenomena, the liking and the respect fluctuate. The late 60, early 70s and Viet Nam were the lowest point in my estimation and we were slowly rebuilding some friendship, faith and trust from that debacle when first Reagan then G.H.W. Bush invaded other nations and our stock dipped slightly. That was followed by William Jefferson Clinton bombing or otherwise attacking four sovereign nations and the dislike and distrust soared. Then along came Jones -- er G. W. Bush -- and we went downhill again. Way down -- not to Viet Nam era levels but close. Obama intentionally started us back up (and thus his reluctance to be the one removing Qaddafi) and we'll have to wait to see how it goes.
But we're never going to be loved or deeply respected. We're too big and clumsy to do the things required to instill either emotion in most.
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