World Publics Reject US Role as the World Leader; Still Want US $$$

From PR/US Newswire:

A multinational poll finds that publics around the world reject the idea that the United States should continue to play the role of preeminent world leader. Most publics say the United States plays the role of world policeman too often and cannot be trusted to act responsibly.

When the so-called world community steps up and takes care the problems that civilization faces these days, they can complain. Until then, shut up...

But the survey also finds that majorities in most countries want the United States to do its share in multilateral efforts to address world problems and do not want it to withdraw from world affairs. Views are divided on whether the United States should reduce the number of military bases it has overseas and in some countries publics perceive an improvement in their bilateral relations with the US.

Oh...so the so-called world community wants our money, just not our influence. Perhaps if more of the world would be like us, they wouldn't need our money. Remember this, folks: "Don't withdraw from world affairs" means "Don't turn off the money spigot!"

Americans largely agree with the rest of the world: most do not think the United States should remain the world's preeminent leader and prefer that it play a more cooperative role. They also believe the United States plays the role of world policeman more than it should.

I'm sensing foul play in the demographics...

This is the fourth in a series of reports based on a worldwide poll conducted by The Chicago Council on Global Affairs and WorldPublicOpinion.org, in cooperation with polling organizations around the world. The larger study includes polls in China, India, the United States, Indonesia, Russia, France, Thailand, Ukraine, Poland, Iran, Mexico, South Korea, the Philippines, Australia, Argentina, Peru, Israel and Armenia - plus the Palestinian territories. The publics polled represent about 56 percent of the world's population.

Steven Kull, editor of WorldPublicOpinion.org notes that this poll reinforces the conclusions of other recent global surveys, which have found that the United States' image abroad is bad and growing worse. But he added that this survey also explores what kind of role the international community would like the US to play in the world.

"This survey shows that despite the negative views of US foreign policy, publics around the world do not want the United States to disengage from international affairs, but rather to participate in a more cooperative and multilateral fashion," Kull said.

In other words, "Placate the terrorists and the dictators and thugs, dammit!"

I ain't impressed...