« $2,156,737.35 | Main | George Will hates the free market »

November 28, 2004

Hearts and minds be damned!

The US is losing the propaganda war with Al Qaida and radical Islam according to a new report from Defense Science Task Force on Strategic Communication. The Task Force is a high level Pentagon panel.

According to the report:

Opinion surveys conducted by Zogby International, the Pew Research Center, Gallup (CNN/USA Today), and the Department of State (INR) reveal widespread animosity toward the United States and its policies. A year and a half after going to war in Iraq, Arab/Muslim anger has intensified. Data from Zogby International in July 2004, for example, show that the U.S. is viewed unfavorably by overwhelming majorities in Egypt (98 percent), Saudi Arabia (94 percent), Morocco (88 percent), and Jordan (78 percent). The war has increased mistrust of America in Europe, weakened support for the war on terrorism, and undermined U.S. credibility worldwide. Media commentary is consistent with polling data. In a State Department (INR) survey of
editorials and op-eds in 72 countries, 82.5 % of commentaries were negative, 17.5% positive.

(more below the fold)

So a lot of Muslims really hate us. The "winning hearts and minds" thing doesn't seem to be working out so well.

I've been saying for years that Bush's actions have put the US in MORE danger. The report shows that these attitudes from Muslims indeed put the US in much more danger:

Negative attitudes and the conditions that create them are the underlying sources of threats to America’s national security and reduced ability to leverage diplomatic opportunities. Terrorism, thin coalitions, harmful effects on business, restrictions on travel, declines in cross border tourism and education flows, and damaging consequences for other elements of U.S. soft power are tactical manifestations of a pervasive atmosphere of hostility.

This President can either stop slamming his arrogant brand of foreign policy down the throats of the world or he can continue to set our nation on a path to more terrorist attacks.

The cowboy diplomacy BS doesn't work with terrorists. They're not intimidated and they're not backing down. And why should they? They just got their recruiting posterboy back in office and they're causing major ruckus in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Hearts and minds be damned.

It's not just Bush's arrogant talk that puts us in danger. It's his actions as well:

Although many observers correlate anti-Americanism with deficiencies in U.S. public diplomacy (its content, tone, and competence), the effectiveness of the means used to
influence public opinion is only one metric. Policies, conflicts of interest, cultural differences, memories, time, dependence on mediated information, and other factors shape perceptions and limit the effectiveness of strategic communication.

Posted by Carla at November 28, 2004 02:24 PM