The Myth of America's Unpopularity

Few Democratic arguements burn me up more than the one that proclaims that Bush policies have eroded world opinion of the U.S. and that it is imperative that a new President reverse those policies so that the world likes us again. Not only do I believe the original hypothesis to be wrong, however I don't believe the outcome is all that necessary anyway. The Democrats have made a lot of traction linking Iraq to an unfavorable opinion of our country. Here is how Barack Obama put it...

We all know that these are not the best of times for America's reputation in the world. We know what the war in Iraq has cost us in lives and treasure, in influence and respect. We have seen the consequences of a foreign policy based on a flawed ideology, and a belief that tough talk can replace real strength and vision.

Many around the world are disappointed with our actions. And many in our own country have come to doubt either our wisdom or our capacity to shape events beyond our borders. Some have even suggested that America's time has passed.

But while we know what we have lost as a consequence of this tragic war, I also know what I have found in my travels over the past two years

Here is some remarks from Hillary Clinton...

The world was with us after 9/11We have so squandered that good will and we've got to rebuild it.

These suppositions are taken to task in this article by Michael Gerson. Gerson makes three general points: we are not overwhelmingly despised by the whole world as the Dems would claim, we won't necessarily become more popular if we reverse Bush policies, and popularity doesn't necessarily translate into influence.

According to a Pew research poll Gerson cited, several areas of the world love America: Sub Sahara in Africa, New Europe, much of Latin America, India, and Japan. Much of the perception of the world hating America comes from animosity from old Europe and the Middle East. Now Old Europe has animosity because under the Bush administration we have paid more attention to new Europe. Furthermore, Europeans are generally pacifists and are put off by America's aggressive GWOT stance. (Our aggressive GWOT stance is also a source of tension in the Middle East)

To me the most obvious evidence to refute the idea that America is hated comes from looking at elections all over the world over the last several years. In Canada, pro American candidate Stephen Harper was elected. In France, unabashed pro American candidate Nicholas Sarkozy was elected. In Germany, pro American candidate Angela Merkel was elected. In Mexico, pro American candidate Felipe Calderone was elected. In Colombia, pro American leader Alvaro Uribe enjoys overwhelming support. In each of the elections, the opponents were anti American candidates and they tried to make the pro American candidates ties to America an issue. In each case they failed. In fact, besides Spain, where there was a bombing two days before the election, and in Australia, where pro American leader John Howard had served for ten plus years, the pro American candidate has won every free and fair election during Bush's term.

On the second point, Gerson points out that in order to gain favorability we must not only withdraw from Iraq, but Afghanistan and furthermore we must show less support for Israel (if we want to gain favorability in the Middle East)

On the third point, Gerson points out the history of JFK and Reagan...

Few American presidents have enjoyed a warmer embrace than John Kennedy visiting France in June of 1961. French newspapers swooned at the first lady's perfect French and the better Parisian shops sold silk scarves embroidered "Jackie." But President Charles de Gaulle remained more interested in the cultivation of French self-esteem than in trans-Atlantic unity. Having withdrawn the French Mediterranean fleet from NATO in 1959, he later ordered the removal of NATO troops from French soil. President Lyndon Johnson (in one of his finest hours) instructed his secretary of state to ask de Gaulle: "Does your order include the bodies of American soldiers in France's cemeteries?"

Few American presidents have been more reviled in Europe than Ronald Reagan, who responded to the Soviet deployment of SS-20 nuclear missiles by deploying Pershing II nuclear missiles. In West Germany, millions of people marched in protest. American soldiers were surrounded by hostile demonstrators shouting, "We don't want you in our country." But Reagan's unpopular "cowboy" determination helped end the Cold War and lift the nuclear threat from Europe.

There is one thing that Gerson didn't mention. While the Dems becry what Bush has done to our standing in the world, they all also espouse protectionist policies on trade. It is unclear how they believe our standing in the world will be improved if we withdraw from NAFTA, CAFTA, and other free trade agreements, however trade is the single most important thing that other nations want from the U.S. Right now, a free trade agreement with Colombia, our most important ally in Latin America, is languishing in the legislature being held up by the same Democratic party that is bemoaning what Bush has done to our standing in the world.

Facts are a sticky thing and on the issue of our standing in the world, they tell a different story than the one the Democrats are telling.