The following video features a panel discussion examining recent global public opinion poll data and considers the question: What does Obama’s global popularity bring the U.S.? The panel was hosted by the Christian Science Monitor and brought together Pew Research Center president Andrew Kohut, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, and former U.S. Senator John Danforth to discuss the Pew Global Attitudes Project. The survey examined responses from 24,000 individuals in 22 nations.
The survey found that the U.S. enjoys high approval ratings in most of the world but certain regions and issue areas showed declines in approval. Among the specific findings:
U.S. favorability ratings remain high in Western Europe and have increased markedly in China and Russia. But opinions remain negative in many Muslim nations. Mexican views of the U.S. tumbled following passage of Arizona’s immigration law. Confidence in Obama is high across much of the world, but support for his handling of specific policies is less widespread.
This report from The Voice of America also notes the remarkable decline in approval among Muslims abroad:
Things have changed dramatically in Egypt, where the percentage of Muslims expressing confidence in Mr. Obama dropped from 41 percent to 31 percent. In Pakistan, the level dropped from 13 percent to 8 percent. Confidence in Mr. Obama remains high in Nigeria — a whopping 77 percent of Muslims polled there approve of him, but that is still down from 81 percent last year. In fact, confidence and approval levels slipped among Muslims surveyed everywhere but Indonesia, where Mr. Obama spent time as a child.
I find that surprising given President Obama’s remarkable efforts to reach out to the Muslim world and I can’t help but wonder if they are missing an opportunity to meet the U.S. halfway? This is all the more worrisome because this opportunity will not last. After all, how likely is it that a future president would make a speech similar to Obama’s Cairo speech? Conciliatory gestures, outreach efforts, and goodwill must be reciprocated or it’s likely that relations will fare worse than if such overtures had never been made. My hope is that a new generation of leaders in Muslim nations will demonstrate the leadership and courage necessary to take advantage of the historic opportunity President Obama has offered to reset relations with the U.S. and chart a path away from confrontation.
