Quote Originally Posted by franksforum View Post
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.
Many of the comments do not explain why the 9/11 sympathy evaporated, but list all sorts of causes and arguments. Yes, the sympathy for the USA was never really that evident with "the man on the street" in many countries and I exclude a string of democratic countries (not just Western Europe and the usual suspects e.g. Japan).

In those democracies, like the UK, "the man in the street" knew he and she were the target for the terrorists. Not our governments behind their defences, who rarely use public transport and wander the streets.

The declaration of a GWOT I suspect started doubts, no-one views a potentially never ending war with relish. When military might is easily visible, a power largely unknown and understood to the viewer - the costs simply appear too much.

Imagery and image just disappeared. Instead "shock & awe" in Afghanistan, then Iraq and frankly stupid tactical or were they strategic decisions, e.g. a kidnap attempt in Italy comes to mind.

America in my opinion, aided by countless visits, wants to be loved or admired. For many reasons most Americans look inwards first and cannot understand why others do not love them.

Have to think what is needed to change this, answers make take time!

Anyway that's my point of view.

davidbfpo