Foreign elites hate America

Much of the debate over anti-Americanism abroad boils down to a single question: Who's responsible for it – foreigners or Americans? The Pew Global Attitudes Project's recent survey found that America's rating has slipped, but "a reserve of goodwill toward the country still remains."

The study's major finding: Elites in much of the world hate the USA. Even the so-called outpouring of sympathy for America following 9/11 never really materialised among most foreign elites.

This hostility has a tremendously negative effect on the struggle against international terrorism.
 

• It creates an adversarial climate in which terrorists can find support among ordinary people; foreign intelligence agencies are less willing to share information with their U.S. counterparts, and U.S. military operations are impeded.
   
• It also generates political capital for the opposition in countries where the leader co-operates with America.
  
  The disparity between mass and elite views sheds light on the cause of anti-Americanism.
   
• When the masses abroad think of the United States, they may consider its military's brute force or the improprieties of its leaders – but they also see Hollywood, high technology and a chance for a better life.
   
• However, foreigners gave the United States high scores for culture, science and technology in the Pew survey.
  
  More importantly, immigration to America is the dream of the masses – but not the elites. Foreign elites already have their place in society. They see only America's power, authority and confidence – for the simple reason that America's power exceeds their own.
  
  Source: Vladimir Shlapentokh and Joshua Woods, Views of World Elite at Core of U.S. Problems Abroad, USA Today, December 30, 2002.
  
  For text http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/2002-12-29-Shlapentokh-Woods_x.htm
  For more on International Comparisons http://www.ncpa.org/iss/int/
  
  FMF Policy Bulletin\18 February 2003