World opposed to Bush and Iraq war, BBC poll says

World opposed to Bush and Iraq war, BBC poll says

Reuters
London

A majority of people around the world view U.S. President George
W. Bush unfavorably and think the United States was wrong to
invade Iraq, according to a BBC poll published on Monday.

In Jordan and Indonesia, well over half of those asked felt
the United States posed a greater danger to world peace and
stability than al-Qaeda.

The poll, which surveyed more than 11,000 people in 11
countries, showed 57 percent of those asked had "a very
unfavorable or fairly unfavorable attitude toward the American
president", the British broadcaster said in a statement.

Some 56 percent felt the United States was wrong to attack
Iraq, including 81 percent of Russian respondents and 63 percent
of those polled in France.

In five of the 11 countries polled, a majority of respondents
believed the United States was more dangerous than Iran, named by
Bush as part of an "axis of evil" with Iraq and North Korea.

And in eight of the 11, respondents said the United States was
more dangerous than Syria, a country which Washington accuses of
sponsoring terrorism.

However, attitudes toward America, rather than the Bush
administration, were slightly more positive.

Half rated the country "fairly" while 40 percent considered it
"unfavorable".

Asked if their country was becoming more like America, 81
percent of Australians and 64 percent of Britons said "Yes".

The survey, conducted in May and June by the BBC and pollsters
around the world, covered Australia, Brazil, Britain, Canada,
France, Indonesia, Israel, Jordan, South Korea, Russia and the
United States.

It was commissioned for a TV program called What the World
Thinks of America.