Support for US at a low, survey finds

The war in Iraq has sent support for the US to new lows in predominantly Muslim countries and significantly damaged the standing of the UN in those nations and elsewhere, according to a survey.

The Pew Global Attitudes Project poll also found al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden still gets favorable marks in some predominantly Muslim countries, while British Prime Minister Tony Blair and UN Secretary General Kofi Annan instill more confidence than US President George W. Bush in non-Muslim countries.

Even in the US, Blair comes out ahead of Bush, said the survey which was released Tuesday.

Asked about their confidence in world leaders to do the right thing, Palestinians ranked bin Laden first. He came in second in Jordan, Morocco and Pakistan.

Blair was the top-rated world leader in the US, with 83 percent saying they have "a lot" or "some" confidence in him to do the right thing, though Annan came in first among the British with 72 percent. Canadians and Australians also ranked Blair at the top of world leaders, while Annan finished first in Italy and Spain.

In many countries with generally favorable attitudes about the US, such as Brazil, Russia, Spain, France and Germany, only modest percentages have confidence in Bush.

A majority expresses confidence in Bush in the US, Britain, Canada and Australia. Bush led in Israel, with 83 percent expressing confidence.

The poll was conducted from April 28 to May 15 in 20 countries and among Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza. Some 16,000 interviews were conducted in 31 languages. Margins of error ranged from plus or minus 3 to 4 percentage points.

US foreign policy got generally unfavorable ratings.

Majorities in seven of the eight predominantly Muslim countries surveyed said they think their nation will be attacked by the US. In Indonesia, Nigeria and Pakistan, more than 70 percent of those questioned had this concern.

"Something that I never thought I'd see and something that is of great concern to me is that people now fear American power," said former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, who chaired the survey project.

Even in Kuwait, where people have a generally favorable view of the US, 53 percent voice at least some concern that the US could someday pose a threat, the survey found.

In a previous Pew survey, negative feelings about the US were confined to the Middle East and Pakistan.

Now, they have expanded to Africa and Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation. There, 83 percent had an unfavorable view of America, compared to 36 percent a year ago.

"Dislike of the US has really deepened and spread throughout the Muslim world," said Andrew Kohut, director of the Pew Research Center that oversaw polling.

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

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

US-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.

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."

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."