PEW Global Poll Being Misrepresented By Media

The IHT headline:

Global poll shows wide distrust of United States

Don't buy it. I looked at the full study and this reporting is a crock.

Fascinating, did you know the chair of the Pew Global Attitudes Project is Madeline Not So Albright? And she stole a quote from Carter to characterize the report. Color me surprised. Okay, she's co-chair. But former Senator Danforth, who lasted all of five months as UN ambassador before retiring, is the other co-chair. Reportedly, he left the UN shortly after being confirmed to spend more time with his wife. Consequently, it's unclear if he puts much into this work, or is simply enjoying one of those post-retirement perks our politicians seem to expect today - a title, a few bucks and who knows what else, while Albright keeps pushing her anti-American agenda. Still, it's the actual details of the poll (pdf) that should be seen as far more positive than the headline allows.

Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, co-chair of the Pew Global Attitudes Project, linked this development directly to the Iraq war. "I think Iraq will go down in history as the greatest disaster in American foreign policy," she said. (Sorry, Maddy, Carter used that line a month ago. If you're going to bash America, at least be original)

The reality is this - a majority of surveyed countries have a favorable view of the US and the bulk of those break down into two groups - successful countries like Japan, South Korea, Israel and even China - and emerging nations with ambition, including nations in Africa and Eastern-Europe. That puts us in pretty good company if you ask me. But get a load of this jaw-dropper:

But elsewhere, majorities or pluralities in all but four survey countries excluding the United States itself - China, Israel, South Korea and Japan - say they dislike American ideas about democracy.

Really? If you read the report, you'll find that what they dislike is that we fight for democracy where it serves our national interests more than we do where it may not. Doh! So, what do they want us to do, invade more countries? And this passage below basically debunks the entire poll:

In 42 of 46 foreign countries surveyed, majorities say they admire U.S. technological and scientific advances. ... Similarly, in most parts of the world, majorities report liking American music, movies and television.

Oh, I get it - they dislike us so much, they simply want to be more like us; either that, or they depend on us for culture and technology regardless of how they feel. Last time I checked, that sounds more like envy, than dislike.

If you don't want to root through the pdf linked above, check this out. The IHT headline says "wide distrust," the body of the report says "Not Wider." Curious that they made a headline from something that isn't even newsworthy, don't you think? And well over half the countries polled have a majority with a positive view of the US. Lastly, if you omit non-democratic, Muslim countries, it isn't even close. Now I wonder why that is? Scroll down the link directly above and look in the right sidebar for our friends and enemies ... there are few surprises and you'll dismiss this reporting as just so much anti-American propaganda. Unless you're a liberal, of course.

Anti-Americanism: Deeper But Not Wider

In the current poll, majorities in 25 of the 47 countries surveyed express positive views of the U.S. Since 2002, however, the image of the United States has declined in most parts of the world. Favorable ratings of America are lower in 26 of 33 countries for which trends are available.

Comments

[Buzzy]

But dammit, I have a wide distrust of the United States here lately too.

[Fred Beloit]

This is a must-see if you are unfamiliar with...Rage Boy. Keep scrolling down for more Islamist photo propaganda. (Hint to the Boob: I understand he is single.) Note how most of the shots are close-ups. This indicates no large crowd. They use close-ups when there are only a few protesters present. http://www.nopc.info/forum/showthread.php?t=21501

[southdakotaboy]

We need to get rid of all the current crop of pols in Washington and start over.

[IslamoLlama]

Wait, I thought we didn't care about image, because even if the rest of the world hates us we can get by on our giant sacks full of money and our unstoppable military might.

[rwilymz]

The US is the pre-eminent world power. Distrust is part of the landscape. Happened with Britain, France, ... Rome, Greece ...

It's irrelevant.

Everyone loved British modernism in India, just not the Brits. Everyone loved Roman plumbing and roads, but not the Romans.

Don't get offended. We've *arrived*. We're top dog. We need to stop trying to act like one of the gang. ...Or else cede top totem and become one of the gang again.

[juandos]

IslamoLlama whines: "I thought we didn't care about image, because even if the rest of the world hates us we can get by on our giant sacks full of money and our unstoppable military might"...

Hmmm, just curious panderer to terrorist towel heads, how did you come up with such a bizzare opinion?

Just asking is all...

[IslamoLlama]

"Hmmm, just curious panderer to terrorist towel heads, how did you come up with such a bizzare opinion?"

Check the backlogs. Dan's stated belief is that American image doesn't (shouldn't?) matter. Torture, secret prisions, war mongering, ostrosizing the UN... none of that really matters so long as we've got guns and money.

[Fred Beloit]

Have always preferred reputation (what one has done, how one has acted) to image (how one would like to be perceived). Image can be bought and paid for like software, movies, and can openers. Reputation usually wins out in the end, however. We ought to continue to do what's right and reputation will follow. Now, Llama, I have given you ample cause for another rant about outrageous and untrue charges we have all heard before. Have fun, all three of you.

[IslamoLlama]

*rolls eyes*
These outrageous and untrue charges are... ? The secret prisons the CIA has confessed to? The photographic evidence of torture at Abu Garaib? The repeated, documented, lies the White House has propogated concerning WMDs and the Saddam-9/11 link?

Seriously? Come on, man. Please don't ask us to choose between your lips and our lying eyes.

[Purple Avenger]

As Henry Gomez said (referring to Cubans trying to flee) "the rafts are only going in one direction".

[Fred Beloit]

This is tangentially related to the subject: http://pajamasmedia.com/xpress/michaelledeen/. Religious leaders in Iraq join to condemn al-Qaeda.

[Fred Beloit]

Yes, Llama, you got it and right on time.

[Fred Beloit]

Islamaquala write: "The secret prisons the CIA has confessed to?" If they admitted to them, they must no longer be secret. "The photographic evidence of torture at Abu Garaib [sic]?" Embarrassing for those photographed. But, if embarrassment were torture, you would be dead by now since you embarrass yourself here every day. The US perpetrators, a few enlisted personnel, were accused, tried, and are now in prison. How many of the real torturers among the enemy have been put on trial by al-Qaeda? "The repeated, documented, lies the White House has propogated [sic] concerning WMDs and the Saddam-9/11 link?" You must mean Bill Clinton's White House, he was the first President to make this case; it is on videotape. Very lame, quala.

[Phoenix]

I'll add a few letters to 'image' and challenge Llama's narrow view.

Use your imagination for a minute and imagine the U.S. sealed off 100% in every way possible from all countries.

What do you suppose would happen? Imagine that the U.S. completely disappears from the planet tomorrow. What would the result be worldwide?

[Phoenix]

Fred,

Embarrassing how libs think in such narrow confines and emphasize the same idiotic things as 'oh-so-bad'. They lack the ability to think in 'what-if' terms and that's walking up a one-way street to chaos. Futuristic sight is not in their cognitive capabilities.

It comes from fixating on the blame game.

[Fred Beloit]

Phoenix, Quala would buy a magnum of champaign and a few pounds of pork chops and celebrate. Oh wait. Never mind. Make that a pint of buttermilk and some falafel.

[Fred Beloit]

Yeah, and they, or at least and most especially the Quala, all three of them, are almost insanely repetitive of old material that just doesn't fly anymore.

[IslamoLlama]

My god, Fred. Do you even read what you write before you post it?

You managed to work "embarassment is the same thing as being electrocuted", "once a secret prison is uncovered it was never really secret", and "Bill Clinton made us invade Iraq!" into a single paragraph. Amazing.

You could write for the New York Post. Or the Enquirer.

[IslamoLlama]

"What do you suppose would happen? Imagine that the U.S. completely disappears from the planet tomorrow. What would the result be worldwide?"

A drastic reduction in greenhouse gases?

[Fred Beloit]

Please show evidence of a guilty verdict of some American military who electrocuted someone.

[Fred Beloit]

Here you are, Iguana, you poor soul. View this evidence, all invited to do the same. Afterward, take the towel off you head, face Mecca and say: "You were right Fred. I apologize. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysmwASJKCDc

[Fred Beloit]

Iguana, I would insist you show your a-- before I forgive you, but you already have.

[Phoenix]

As I said, Fred - Zero ability to take the wide view. They are disabled. Islamo qualifies for disability - flatlined cognitive skills.

[Fred Beloit]

It seems they can only repeat what kos tells them, over and over again.

[seekeronos]

"---

'What do you suppose would happen? Imagine that the U.S. completely disappears from the planet tomorrow. What would the result be worldwide?'

A drastic reduction in greenhouse gases? ---"

Heh, maybe only a little.

You'd have to zap the Chinese though, they've done passed us as the number one producer of greenhouse gases. Although, the way some of our lunatic lefties here foam and belch forth the "holy gospel according to Kos", we are still in the running.

[rwilymz]

"The secret prisons the CIA has confessed to?"

Different ... how? from
1] what has always been, and
2] what every other nation has of their own?

"The photographic evidence of torture at Abu Garaib?"

There was no "photographic evidence of torture". At Abu Ghraib, Gitmo, or anywhere else.

There was photographic evidence of "mistreatment" at Abu Ghraib. They are two separate and distinct things.

"The repeated, documented, lies the White House has propogated concerning WMDs and the Saddam-9/11 link?"

For someone who purports to be so politically attuned, you're coming off as a naive little twit. ...or a partisan hack, take your pick.

First, many of the "documented lies" are not so documented as you wish to believe -- you need to close one eye, stand on tiptoes and have at least two fingers crossed in order to see some of them as "lies"; and second, to the degree that many of the individual statments are strictly *inaccurate* -- what in the hell do you expect?

1] this is defense-related foreign intel stuff, not federal highway dollars, being discussed. AT BEST you're going to get the tiniest fraction of the available data, and a large portion of it will be wrong -- deliberately. You may not know this, or if you do, not appreciate it, but foreigners who wish us harm read the same newspapers as you do. You start spitting out Grade-A Gospel defense intel, we're suddenly at the advantage of the whole planet. There's much misdirection in what we get told. You got fooled by it? Oh well... That's a price the nation's willing to pay no matter who's in office.

2] These are politicians doing the talking. Their job is to either get re-elected or to get the country to dance around the flagpole. In either case, they're going to say whatever they think they need to in order to reach their immediate objective. You got fooled by *that*? They don't care, and they never will. ...no matter which politician you're talking about.

Good god, get a grip!

[Phoenix]

"There's much misdirection in what we get told... ... That's a price the nation's willing to pay no matter who's in office."

This is the way it's always been, and frankly, if it was any other way, it would entail a gross breach of our security. These people screaming we have a right to know - no, you don't have a right to know.