Muslims scared of U.S. saviours
Survey yields interesting results

"Dislike of the United States has really deepened and spread throughout the Muslim world"
- Andrew Kohut, director of the Pew Research Center

A poll conducted April 28 through May 15 in 20 countries and among Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza, The Pew Global Attitudes Project surveyed attitudes towards world leaders and U.S. foreign policy. Around 16,000 interviews in 31 different languages were conducted. Here are the results (margin of error estimated at plus or minus 3-4%):

The war in Iraq has sent support for the United States to new lows in predominantly Muslim countries and significantly damaged the standing of the United Nations in those nations and elsewhere, according to the survey released Tuesday.

al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden still gets favorable marks in some predominantly Muslim countries, while British Prime Minister Tony Blair and U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan instill more confidence than President Bush in non-Muslim countries.

Asked about confidence of world leaders to do the right thing:

- Palestinians ranked Osama bin-Laden 1st
- Jordan, Morocco and Pakistan ranked bin-Laden 2nd
- In the U.S., British Prime Minister Tony Blair ranked 1st (with 83% approval)
- In Britain, US Secretary General Kofi Annan ranked 1st (w/ 72% approval)
- In Israel, Bush ranked 1st (w/ 83% confidence)
- Bush ranked majorities in confidence in the U.S., Britain, Canada and Australia
- In Brazil, Russia, Spain, France, and Germany Bush posted only modest confidence percentages.

U.S. foreign policy got generally unfavorable ratings.

Eight predominantly Muslim countries were asked if they think their nation will be attacked by the United States:

- 7 of the 8 indicated that majorities thought they would be
- In Indonesia, Nigeria, and Pakistan more than 70% thought so
- Even in Kuwait, 53% felt that the U.S. could someday pose a threat

In a previous Pew survey, negative feelings towards the U.S. were confined to the Middle East and Pakistan. Now they have expanded to Africa and Indonesia (the world's most populous Muslim nation).

- In Indonesia 83% had an unfavourable view towards the U.S.
- Only a year ago, that same figure came in at a mere 36%

Even in the United States, Blair comes out ahead of Bush.

In another finding, the survey said public confidence in the United Nations has been hurt by the war in Iraq.

The idea that the United Nations is less relevant is shared by people in the United States and Britain as well as in nations that opposed the war, such as France and Germany.

U.S.-French relations are another war casualty. Only 29 percent of Americans surveyed said they have very or somewhat favorable views of France, while twice as many feel negatively. French opinion on Americans ranged from 58 percent very or somewhat favorable to 42 percent somewhat unfavorable to very unfavorable.

Among other findings: Muslims favor a prominent — in many cases expanded — role for Islam and religious leaders in the political life of their countries. Yet that opinion does not diminish Muslim support for the same civil liberties and political rights enjoyed by democracies.

"In fact, in a number of countries," according to the survey analysis, "Muslims who support a greater role for Islam in politics place the highest regard on freedom of speech, freedom of the press and the importance of free and contested elections."

The poll was released together with a broader survey of 44 nations conducted in 2002 which covers attitudes on globalization, democratization and the role of Islam in governance and society.

Kohut said the anti-globalization forces that have protested in America and overseas don't seem to be making inroads. He said the survey found there is "great acceptance of a connected world with most people saying trade and growing business ties are good for them and their countries."