Sympathy for U.S. fades under Bush's leadership

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.oaklandtribune.com/Stories/0,1413,82~1865~1631798,00.html

BERLIN -- In the two years since Sept. 11, 2001, the view of the United States as a victim of terrorism that deserved the world's sympathy and support, has given way to a widespread vision of America as an imperial power that has defied world opinion through unjustified and unilateral use of military force.

"A lot of people had sympathy for Americans around the time of 9-11, but that's changed," said Cathy Hearn, 31, a flight attendant from South Africa, expressing a view commonly heard in many countries. "They act like the big guy riding roughshod over everyone else."

In a series of interviews with people across the globe, from Africa to Europe, South America to Southeast Asia, one point emerged clearly: The war in Iraq has had a major impact on public opinion, which has moved generally from post-Sept. 11 sympathy to post-Iraq antipathy, or at least to disappointment over what is seen as the sole superpower's inclination to act pre-emptively, without either persuasive reasons or U.N. approval.

Oil supplies

To some degree, the resentment is centered on the person of President Bush, who is seen by many of those interviewed, at best, as an ineffective spokesman for U.S. interests and, at worst, as a gunslinging cowboy knocking over international treaties and bent on controlling the world's oil supplies, if not the entire world.

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[opihimoimoi]

1. A perception that is looking like the truth.

Bush has given America a Blk eye needlessly.

[ixion]

2. the thing here is that we've been hearing of this downturn for

several months now, and people don't seem to be getting it. Perhaps it's 'Stupid White Guy' syndrome, or perhaps it's the duplicitous media... either way, it's a very, very bad thing, that's going to hurt us for years to come.

But people don't seem to get that, either.

*sigh*

[Melsky]

3. We went from the victim to the bully

My perceptions of the US and world have changed a lot in the past two years also.

[wtmusic]

4. Excellent thread on squandered post-9/11 good will

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=323441

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

5. Last time a country was described...

Like that was when? Early '40s?

[Nottingham]

6. Yep that kinda says it!

:bounce:

[bandy]

7. Well, the good news is

"To some degree, the resentment is centered on the person of President Bush,...)