Our Allies May Not Be for Long

There are signs of a disturbing trend worldwide. Our traditional allies increasingly see us as a threat to world security and even to their own culture. This is not about jealousy, its about staggering distaste for Bush and increasing distaste for American culture normally associated with the French.
Guardian Unlimited > Poll reveals world anger at Bush
In Britain the growth in anti-Americanism is not so marked as in France, Japan, Canada, South Korea or Spain where more than 60% say their view of the United States has deteriorated since September 11. But a sizable and emerging minority - 45% - of British voters say their image of the US has got worse in the past three years and only 15% say it has improved....
This is underlined by the 73% of British voters who say that the US now wields an excessive influence on international affairs, a situation that 67% see as continuing for the foreseeable future. A majority in Britain also believe that US democracy is no longer a model for others.
But perhaps a more startling finding from the Guardian/ICM poll is that a majority of British voters - 51% - say that they believe that American culture is threatening our own culture. This is a fear shared by the Canadians, Mexicans and South Koreans, but it is more usually associated with the French than the British.
I think its particularly telling that only in Russia and Israel is American public opinion on the rise. Surely, in part this is a reflection of their common concern for terrorism, but it also is related to the Bush Administration increased tolerates, even imitation of their oppressive tactics of limiting civil rights and increasing tolerance of "collateral damage" in engaging terror.
Israel is increasingly concerned about becoming a pariah in Europe. One would think the US would have similar concerns.


European Views Israeli Concerns
Poll reveals world anger at Bush
Eight out of 10 countries favour Kerry for president
Alan Travis, home affairs editor
Friday October 15, 2004
George Bush has squandered a wealth of sympathy around the world towards America since September 11 with public opinion in 10 leading countries - including some of its closest allies - growing more hostile to the United States while he has been in office.
According to a survey, voters in eight out of the 10 countries, including Britain, want to see the Democrat challenger, John Kerry, defeat President Bush in next month's US presidential election.
The poll, conducted by 10 of the world's leading newspapers, including France's Le Monde, Japan's Asahi Shimbun, Canada's La Presse, the Sydney Morning Herald and the Guardian, also shows that on balance world opinion does not believe that the war in Iraq has made a positive contribution to the fight against terror.
The results show that in Australia, Britain, Canada, France, Japan, Spain and South Korea a majority of voters share a rejection of the Iraq invasion, contempt for the Bush administration, a growing hostility to the US and a not-too-strong endorsement of Mr Kerry. But they all make a clear distinction between this kind of anti-Americanism and expressing a dislike of American people. On average 68% of those polled say they have a favourable opinion of Americans.
The 10-country poll suggests that rarely has an American administration faced such isolation and lack of public support amongst its closest allies.
The only exceptions to this trend are the Israelis - who back Bush 2-1 over Kerry and see the US as their security umbrella - and the Russians who, despite their traditional anti-Americanism, recorded unexpectedly favourable attitudes towards the US in the survey conducted in the immediate aftermath of the Beslan tragedy.
The UK results of the poll conducted by ICM research for the Guardian reveal a growing disillusionment with the US amongst the British public, fueled by a strong personal antipathy towards Mr Bush.
The ICM survey shows that if the British had a vote in the US presidential elections on November 2 they would vote 50% for Kerry and only 22% for Bush.
Sixty per cent of British voters say they don't like Bush, rising to a startling 77% among those under 25.
The rejection of Mr Bush is strongest in France where 72% say they would back Mr Kerry but it is also very strong in traditionally very pro-American South Korea, where fears of a pre-emptive US strike against North Korea have translated into 68% support for Mr Kerry.
In Britain the growth in anti-Americanism is not so marked as in France, Japan, Canada, South Korea or Spain where more than 60% say their view of the United States has deteriorated since September 11. But a sizeable and emerging minority - 45% - of British voters say their image of the US has got worse in the past three years and only 15% say it has improved.
There is a widespread agreement that America will remain the world's largest economic power.
This is underlined by the 73% of British voters who say that the US now wields an excessive influence on international affairs, a situation that 67% see as continuing for the foreseeable future.
A majority in Britain also believe that US democracy is no longer a model for others.
But perhaps a more startling finding from the Guardian/ICM poll is that a majority of British voters - 51% - say that they believe that American culture is threatening our own culture.
This is a fear shared by the Canadians, Mexicans and South Koreans, but it is more usually associated with the French than the British. Perhaps the endless television reruns of Friends and the Simpsons are beginning to take their toll.
· ICM interviewed a random sample of 1,008 adults aged 18 and over by telephone between September 22-23 2004. Interviews were conducted across the country and the results have been weighted to the profile of all adults.
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Last update - 00:56 14/10/2004
Israel and Europe on a `collision course,' Foreign Ministry warns
By Haaretz Staff and The Associated Press
A secret report prepared by the Foreign Ministry warns that Israel's global standing could deteriorate in the coming decade and could even resemble the pariah status of apartheid South Africa.
According to the document, which was written in August by the ministry's Center for Political Research, Israel and Europe will find themselves on a collision course that will cause serious economic and diplomatic damage to Israel.
Israel could become increasingly isolated in the coming years if Europe becomes more influential, the Foreign Ministry report says.
"In extreme circumstances, this could put Israel on a collision course with the European Union. Such a collision course holds the risk of Israel losing international legitimacy and could lead to its isolation, in the manner of South Africa," according to the document.
"The EU could sharpen its expectation that Israel will comply with international norms ... and honor the authority of the United Nations and its agencies - an issue that has the potential of leading to friction," the analysts wrote.
The document says the EU is pushing to become a major global player in the next decade, and that the United States, Israel's main ally, could lose international influence as a result.
In light of ongoing European criticism of Israeli policies in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, a more powerful Europe could weaken Israel's position.
The paper also examines various scenarios for the development of Israel's relationship with Europe and Russia.
The report says a new form of anti-Semitism is developing in Europe, one which denies Israel's legitimacy as a sovereign Jewish state.
EU officials in Brussels said that, while the EU and Israel have sound relations in the areas of trade and scientific research, they have very definite differences of opinion over Middle East peacemaking. They also said the EU is seeking more of a say.
"Regarding the Middle East peace process and our relations with Israel and the Palestinians, there is no doubt that the role of the EU has increased," said Christina Gallach, a spokeswoman for EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana.
"We have had difficult moments [with Israel] when we responded to things like the West Bank wall and now what is happening in Gaza," Gallach said, referring to the separation fence in the West Bank and the ongoing major military offensive in northern Gaza.