America is turning a popularity corner. In a BBC World Service poll, 35 percent of people from all over the world said the US has a positive influence, up from 31 percent last year. The view that the US has a negative influence declined from 52 percent to 47 percent.
The pollsters credit various factors including: extra attention to the Israeli-Palestinian peace process; a firmer stance on global warming; the election of pro-US Nicolas Sarkozy in France; decreased violence in Iraq; and the upcoming presidential election. World citizens hope that the next president will pursue a more collaborative foreign policy.
Comparatively, Iran and Israel received the most negative ratings. Doing a 180 from about 60 years ago, Japan and Germany have the highest positive ratings. Russia gets a 37 percent approval rating, higher than the US.
Surprised by these results? Do you think approval will increase with the next US president, or is a superpower destined to be judge critically?
Vero Moda
Rizzo
Emanuela Passeri
I am a bit surprised that Russia who openly sends weapons to Iran, is a bully to all of it's neighbors, has a state-run press and pretty much has a dictator would rate higher than America.
1haha, yea Syako, I agree... but I was pleasantly surprised about America... cue National Anthem...
2Russia is more popular than America? Yowza!
3It is interesting that when you look at the participating countries chart there are no former Soviet countries besides Russia - so that could be one reason...
435% approval is good? I guess that means I did graduate high school!
5http://youtube.com/watch?v=4mCDZMWVWuc
6Well at least we're not as low as Georgies approval.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=4mCDZMWVWuc
7Thats the second time you've posted that!! Do you just keep it on copy so you can quick draw it on paste??
8LOL! It was just so appropriate for this topic.
9Encouraging news (though I was under the impression that it was nearly impossible for the States to become any *less* popular, so. . .when you're on the bottom, the only other direction is up).
10~ I *less than three* Lewis Black! ~
11I was getting used to being the Johnny Lawrence of the world.
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