12°c Overcast
18°c Cloudy with sunny breaks
Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
U.S. wants love, but reaps scorn
(DALE CUMMINGS)
When Libyan rebels were barely holding on against Col. Moammar Gadhafi's tanks, artillery and fighter jets, they demanded to know: "Where are the Americans?" The same plea is heard today from Syrian dissidents who are begging the United States to come to their rescue.
An American-led force responded in Libya, but the western nations have held back on Syria, leading to accusations they are putting their narrow geopolitical interests ahead of humanitarian intervention.
But when the Americans respond with force on their own, they are accused of acting unilaterally or even illegally. It is still not easy, in other words, to be the leader of the world's greatest military power.
President Barack Obama, for example, may have thought he would be the next John F. Kennedy, who was widely popular around the globe, but today his popularity has fallen dramatically, according to a survey of world attitudes by Pew Research.
A majority of those in the 20 countries polled, however, want to see him re-elected, with the exception of predominantly Muslim countries, where he is almost as unpopular as George W. Bush in his last year in office.
Mr. Bush was disliked because he started two unpopular wars, but President Obama, who ended one war and is winding down the other, is unpopular because of the proliferation of drone strikes against presumed terrorist targets. The state of the U.S. economy has also hurt his image. (Canadian opinion was not sampled).
"There remains a widespread perception that the U.S. acts unilaterally and does not consider the interests of other countries," Pew said in its report.
The use of drones is controversial even in the United States, where some critics question the legality and morality of targeting people in sovereign countries, even if they are plotting to kill Americans.
With the memory of 9-11 fading into history, it's unlikely President Obama will win the battle for public opinion on the use of drones, although negative attitudes in western countries could shift immediately if there was another serious terrorist attack.
The goodwill America enjoyed 11 years ago, however, has dried up.
Since the Vietnam War, the world has demanded America exercise restraint and stop acting like the world's policeman, at least until a disaster hits home, or a dictator's guns are pointed at the heads of children.
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition June 18, 2012 A10
More Editorials
- Back to Top
- Return to Editorials
Poll
Most Popular Editorials
- Mr. Katz strikes out again
- Welcome to the 1900s, drinkers
- Resign, Mr. Duffy
- Mayor Selinger
- Focus on education; no, really
- NDP needs its fix
- Temporary ain't what it used to be
- Transit justice
- What’s with the maternal outpouring for Dzhokhar?
- Canada's core values are strong
Ads by Google
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.
Have Your Say
New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.
The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.