Promoting Democracy: Improving America's Image in Muslim Nations

Promoting Democracy: Improving America's Image in Muslim Nations

Introduction

In the days following the attacks of September 11, 2001, in New York, it was thought that the fight against terrorism could redefine the world order. For a moment it has been thought that the old enemies become new allies in the fight against Al Qaeda. However, as highlighted by the Washington Post, 10 years after the attacks, large majorities in Muslim countries have an unfavorable view of the White House and its policies. Globally, however, the positive image of the U.S. has experienced a rise in recent years, but cannot recover the levels it had before 2001. In 2000, during the last year of President Bill Clinton, USA has enjoyed a high positive image, which, for example, reached 83% in the UK, 78% in Germany to 52% in Turkey. But the war against terrorism unleashed by George W. Bush soon began to undermine support for the global power, especially after the invasion of Iraq in 2003.

But this downward trend remained until 2008. The following year, with the arrival of Barack Obama to the White House, the numbers recovered. "This is especially true in Western Europe, where Obama is very popular," he told Tercera Richard Wike, associate director of the Pew Global Attitudes Project. Thus, in Germany jumped 31% in 2008 to 64% in 2009, while in France increased from 42% to 75%. The last measurement of this institution, conducted in 23 countries, shows pro-US views higher than those recorded in 2008, although slightly lower than in 2010. Thus, in Britain the figure is currently 61%, four percentage points less than the measured one year ago. Something similar happens with Russia, falling from 57% to 56% during the same period. However, the latter is the one where the positive image we have of the U.S. is higher than that recorded in 2000 when it only reached 37%.

Discussion

According to The Washington Post, the decline in the evaluation of several traditional allies in Europe is due to the U.S. is seen as a country that "acts unilaterally and without taking into account the interests of other countries in foreign policy decisions." But where Obama has more problems to improve the U.S. image is among Muslim countries. According to Pew Global Attitudes Project, the rise of pro-democracy movement by the "Arab Spring" has not meant an improvement in the U.S. image in the Middle East. "In key Arab nations and other predominantly Muslim countries, the view on the world power remains negative, as it has been for nearly a decade," the institution.

In fact, the Pew Global Attitudes Project highlights in Jordan, Turkey and Pakistan this perception is even worse than it was last year. Thus, in Jordan, the positive image of the U.S. fell from 21% to 13% between 2010 and 2011. In the same period in Pakistan declined from 17% to 12% and in Turkey, from 17% to 10%. Washington has to relate to Putin's Russia, China's rise, the ...