WASHINGTON (CNN) - Hours before President Barack Obama departs for a trip to the Middle East, a new national poll suggests that only one in five Americans has a favorable view of Muslim countries.
That compares to 46 percent of the people questioned in a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey who say they have an unfavorable opinion of Muslim countries. That's up five points from 2002, when 41 percent indicated they had an unfavorable view.
Three in ten meanwhile say they have a neutral opinion of Muslim countries.
The poll also suggests that most Americans think people in Muslim countries don't think highly of the United States. Nearly eight in ten questioned say people in Muslim countries have a unfavorable opinion of the U.S., with 14 percent saying Muslims hold a favorable view.
But the poll indicates Americans seem to be split on whether such negative opinions by Muslims matter. Fifty-three percent of those questioned say they think Muslim views of the U.S. matter a great deal or a moderate amount, with 47 percent saying that Muslim opinions of the U.S. don't matter very much or at all.
The poll's release comes just hours before the president flies to Saudi Arabia for meetings with King Abdullah. Following the stop in Saudi Arabia, Obama heads to Egypt, where Thursday he'll deliver a long-awaited speech on relations between the United States and the Muslim world. At a town hall in Turkey earlier this year, the president delcared that "the United States is not, and will never be, at war with Islam."
Americans seem to agree with the president: 62 percent of those surveyed say they don't think the U.S. is at war with the Muslim world, with 36 percent indicating that the country is at war with Muslim countries. Those numbers have remained stable since CNN's 2002 poll.
But the poll suggests that six out of ten think that the Muslim world considers itself at war with the U.S.
"The feeling seems to be mutual. We distrust Muslims. They distrust Americans. Views of Americans have not changed very much over the past seven years. There are some indications that Muslims' views of Americans have improved a bit since Barack Obama took office, but they are still not positive," says CNN Senior Political Analyst Bill Schneider.
The CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll was conducted May 14-17, with 1,010 adult Americans questioned by telephone. The survey's sampling error is plus or minus three percentage points.
From CNN Politics
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The muslim beliefs compared to Christian beliefs are opposite in the absolute committments to JESUS CHRIST LORD as the christian Lord and master. We do not pratice death threats and cruel behavior to our enemies although God does bless those who must fight for the Christian beliefs because that is GOD>
We are a Christian nation opposed to President Obama 's statement to appease the muslim nations which is wrong and opposes our constitiustion and the reason this nation was created.
Why does President Obama want to compromise on our beliefs which holds this nation together?
CNN logic.....polls=facts=news
This culture clash will resolve itself in time. As to how much time, nobody can be sure. I'd like to see full scale unbiased cultural anthropological studies done by the social scientists on both sides published, and continued from here until the conflict is resolved. I think it would be a powerful tool for the field overall.
Considering how often I read comments from people who think "We should just Nuke 'em" that is not surprising.
Al Qeada wants conflict between the West and the Middle East, its part of their objective.
Think of it this way: if you want Bin Laden and his associates to fail, then embrace the people of the Mideast. Become their friends. It is the ultimate way to defeat Al Qeada.
I think the President's approach is 100% better than the old "war solves all" approach. We see how much that has helped: none.
Yet another reason to actually declare war on the Taliban and Al Queda It would let the Muslim world know who we are at war against and inlist the help of all nations in the defeat of these two pilars of Anti- Islam. Another greay benefi is to make the Gitmo detainees prisinors of war which would equal No Torture (good news for them) and absolutely no resease until their side surrenders (great news for us). Not to mention that I as a liberal Democrat would buy war bonds to support a real war so I'm sure I would not be the only one.
My god i cant imagine how this apprehension of moslems could have started. Could it be thierincredible violence, raping of women and treating them like livestock? Any type of dissention is banned? It is a dark religion spread by violent cohersion. if given the choice remember the saying ' better red trhan dead' well thats kind of here they are at. I do not want them in my area period. And yes i see American calvinism/evagelism/Re[ublican religion in much the same light and I dont like them either. learn to live together without killing each other – wow there's a start!
muslim's their like the nizi's....they are all lumped togeather cause the let their official's tell them what to do instead of the people telling them what they want as a people....hell that sould's like us ....with the osama obama regime....
By not controlling their extremist violent activities, they make Americans wonder if they are agianst terrorism or are they supporting terrorism against America. Some muslim countries are helping us but are they doing everything they could. That is what leaves the doubt.
Of course we have a negative opinion of Muslim countries. For my entire life they've been killing people in the name of Allah and have become increasing hostile to all non-Muslims. Some of this is the result of bad policy of Western nations, but a lot of it is because Muslim clerics have allowed Islam to become radicalized and politicized. Islam is supposed to be a pacifist religion and to make Jihad is to wage war on your own demons, not other people.
obama needs to stop kissing muslim behinds. what obama is doing is seen as a sign of weakness. muslim terrorists started the war, and obama apparently is ignorant of that fact. muslim nation states, muslims all over the world, have financially supported muslim terrorist activities. obama is either ignorant or lacks stones to stand with innocents, including american citizens, that have been slaughtered by muslims. obama should grow some stones and lead, follow or get out of the way. any enemy, even those that support the enemy, does not respect nor honor weakness and never has throughout recorded history. shame obama, shame, shame, shame.
I'm more concerned about the conservative christian fundamentalist right in this country than I am about any muslim. Atleast the muslims don't go around bombing abortion clinics or killing doctors in the name of pro life.
It isn't a surprise to me. Look how many negative depictions we have of them and they of us. With the Muslim (and Arab) world's support for anti-Semitism, it isn't a huge surprise that they hate the West and the continued support (and needed) for Israel (the only truly free democracy in the region).
The feelings aren't helped by two factors: 1 is that Hollywood has depecitced them as murders and terrorists (which is a lot of what we see in the news as well). The second point is that we never hear from the silent moderates who are telling people to live in peace. The moderates within the Muslim world need to speak up more.
To be a Muslim you must follow in the ways of Mohammed. Mohammed in his early years murdered, killed and slaughtered the innocents and to appease his troops after battle he allowed them to take the women folk as war booty as long as they agreed Mohammed could take a % of each mans booty. Mohammed as is written in Hadith and quranic script kidnapped his own female booty and took her to his tent and raped her. I dont follow anyone who conducts vile disgusting acts like this and I wouldnt trust them as far as I could spit. It is only through education you will find the truth and I`m sorry to say, after spending 5 months in the US last year, Americans dont know what is going on in the next street never mind another country when it comes down to international relations and the wars we fight together. As a proud Englishman, I warn America, be on your guard. I first moved to the Middle East (Abu Dhabi, UAE) in 1978 and have been in and out of the regions ever since, living in Baghdad, Kuwait, Jordan, Lebanon, Afghanistan etc etc.. I am a student of Islam and I can state that until the media wakes up and treats Islam as an Idealogical and political system which wishes to take over and rule the world, then I am sorry, we will all pay the price for that mistake.
It is more important what the Muslim countries think of us than what we Americans think of them.
That is why President Obama's scheduled "apology tour"(as it will be billed by the Party of NO on this blog) to Egypt and the area so we can begin to assure the Muslim countries that we are not afraid nor do we hate 95% of the globe's Muslims.
Maybe that 95% will join in and help us fight the 5% if President Obama does not condemn all Muslims for the actions of a few and indicate "you are either with us or against us" attitude of the shrub.
Maybe President Obama's talking to the "enemy" will actually be a down payment on the peace dividend..
Ya think? This is not news; it's a BFO–blinding flash of the obvious.
It is more important what the Muslim countries think of us than what we Americans think of them.
That is why President Obama's scheduled "apology tour"(as it will be billed by the Party of NO on this blog) to Egypt and the area so we can begin to assure the Muslim countries that we are not afraid nor do we hate 95% of the globe's Muslims.
Maybe that 95% will join in and help us fight the 5% if President Obama does not condemn all Muslims for the actions of a few and rejects the "you are either with us or against us" attitude of the shrub.
Maybe President Obama's talking to the "enemy" will actually be a down payment on the peace dividend..
When are we going to hear the wireless transcript of the conversation between Sen Durbin and Ex-Gov Blago regarding the appointment of Lisa Madigan for the senate seat.
While we are on it, lets hope we hear the conversation between Harry Reid and Blago pressuring him to not appoint a black person.
Meanwhile, we are constantly fed by the media with the transcript of Sen Burris and Blago.
Is this a case of selective witch hunt of a minority senator?
It is more important what the Muslim countries think of us than what we Americans think of them. That is why President Obama's scheduled "apology tour"(as it will be billed by the Party of NO on this blog) to Egypt and the area so we can begin to assure the Muslim countries that we are not afraid nor do we hate 95% of the globe's Muslims.
Maybe that 95% will join in and help us fight the 5% if President Obama does not condemn all Muslims for the actions of a few and rejects the "you are either with us or against us" attitude of the shrub.
Maybe President Obama's talking to the "enemy" will actually be a down payment on the peace dividend..
Many Americans held an unfavorable view of the Japanese after Pearl Harbor too. Is the current view of the Muslim World that big of a surprise?
We must achieve peace between Israel and the Palestinians, the era of permanent friendship is gone, we must now push forward our permanent interest, we have paid enough for the middle-east conflict and it's time to be an honest broker.
I support Obama's pressure on Israel and the palestinians, if our economy collapses under the weight of this crisis, we are to blame.
Does this include our Muslim president?
I believe that people in this country will always remember 911, but not all terrorist is Muslims, and not all Muslims is terrorist. People who study Islam, say it is a beautiful religion. All of the terrorist are not very religious, just like here in the US when our people join cults, they are delusional. I am not giving the terrorist a green light, I had seen a documentary on these radical Muslims and they had compared them to the cults that people had join. One comes to mind, Jim Jones and Jonestown.
The republican right worries me far more than any muslim. The republican right has become more of a cult and terroristic group than a political party. They offer no solutions, ideas or constructive comments, just constant opposition. They don't care about this country and even less about it's people and they just care about remaining in power and the rich. All of this and more is why I can no longer with a clear conscience call myself a republican and I doubt I ever will in this lifetime. I support our president and all that he is trying to do because atleast he is trying to rebuild this country and not destroy it like bush did.
Who cares, they hold an unfavorable view of us. I'm as fair minded an individual as you will find, but we shouldn't go out of our way to try to appease people in a culture that despises us. Sure they are good people in that part of the world, but they allow the radicals to be the dominant voice.
Well it couldn't be that unfavorable after all they just elected Barack Hussein Obama to the white house. Big mistake.
Many Americans are ignorant and, therefore, easily manipulated by the Party of Fear and Deceit (the GOP). In fact, we Americans are probably *the* most ignorant educated people in the entire world.
It's very common for people to fear what they know nothing about. Add that to the Republican "Fear Campaign" and it's shouldn't be surprising that many Americans feel this way. Educate yourselves America! Knowledge is power! Then you won't be so easily fall for the BS of Cheney, O'Reilly, Hannity and Limbaugh.
MI am sure there are good muslims and bad muslims like any religion, but it seems that Muslims in general are less tolerant of other religions, particularly Christians, or the infidels as they call them. I believe that Muslims are far worse when it comes to women;s rights, and their disciplinary practices are beneath human decency in many ways. The lack of womens' rights is particularly morbid in leading edge countries like Saudi Arabia, India, and Pakistan where women are still deemed second class. As far as morals, I do not find Muslims more religious, rather they are more fanatical. For the countless millions of Muslims who rioted, pillaged, and killed just becsue of a cartoon is both despicble and unholy. Sorry guys – but you are pathetic when you do stupid things like that over a cartoon, and then go back to your lives of sin and corruption.
Is it any wonder? We're constantly inundated with television shows and motion pictures portraying Muslims as the bad guys. The Bush Administration seemed to lump all Muslim countries together in a position of "if you're Muslim, you must be an Al Qaeda supporter".
Remember, before 9/11, the worst act of terrorism in the United States came courtesy of Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols – right-wing domestic terrorists, a la the Tiller assassin. Why aren't they vilified more vehemently??
Many Americans do not understand the Muslim World. There are extremest views within any society, and we Americans can recall Oklahoma City and the net effect of extremism in America. Throughout the world, there are many people who believe the citizens of the United States have it far to easy, due to the strength of our economy over the last sixtys years. While it is hard to understand the religious beliefs of others, or the societal differences in foreign lands, we need to open our minds and hearts to people who are different than we are, and perhaps we will learn more about what they think of us, and we can adjust the way we present America.
Yeah, it's amazing what a little set of harmless acts such as killing 3000 innocent Americans, beheading dozens on video, blowing up children, creating almost every war (state and civil) around the world, enslaving women, implementing Sharia Law, and generally behaving as sub-humans from thousands of years ago will do to your reputation!
Never worry, Muslim-raised Obama is trying his hardest (and with breathtaking success) to improve the status of radical Islam to "most favored religion".
i doubt your poll is accurate. If the question would have been are we ignorant about the Muslin community, the numbers would have been more accurate.
Sometimes it's not the answer that important, it is the question.
Can't Cheney just go somewhere and let the commander in chief run the country. They are just scared, because President Obama is cleaning up their mess and revealing all of their misdoings. You don't see former President Bush making any waves do you?
No kidding? Can't imagine why!!!!!
Well – the Bush/Cheney clan certainly didn't help our opinions of the Muslim world. They so successfully applied the model of racism we've had on black people to those of Muslim decent.
Disgusting...pure disgusting.
I have faith that our current President will continue to break down this mental block that the Rethuglican's have created. American's USED to be about inclusiveness...about all people coming together. For the last 8 years, we've been told to fear...to worry...to watch at the security alerts go from yellow to red. I hope that we American's can get back to our fundamental values – that we truly are the melting pot. Otherwise, we are just a bunch of hypocritical bigots who have no pride.
If only there groups of muslims that spoke out against terrorism by muslims, I'd be a little less negative toward muslims. They are breeding Europe into a muslim state so it's just a matter of time before what US Americans think about them becomes completely irrelevant. Anyhow with Obama dangling the shiny object in front of everyone via talking up the bs, he is naturally helping any way he can.
Here we go again. Obama is going to apologize to the Muslim world because of our success and US standard of living. Not everything is perfect in the US, but there is no other place in the world I would rather be. The worst day in the US is better than the best days in most of the Muslim world. I am not aware that any Judeo-Christian religious leader preaches hate against the Muslims or their religion. On the other hand, at least based upon media coverage, hate of the US and Christian theology is a norm in many Mosques. Yes, we do have our problems with religious fanatics like Obama's former minister Reverend Wright, but his is more of an anomaly than mainstream thought.
There is such a marked cultural and "values" difference between the Western world and the Muslim community. I wholeheartedly appreciate the President's attempts at being inclusive in establishing relations with this part of the world. There is much that we don't know/understand about Muslims, and vice versa. Quite frankly our President's middle name, Hussein, can only be a plus in developing an honest dialogue between two different ideologies. At the risk of sounding "racist" (a la Sotomayor) Muslims might be more open to him than to say a Dickie, or Dubya.
The Muslims come across as too fanatical., unstable.
Or are we just brainwashed? Who knows.
That is because they are ignorant to many facts and the media plays a big part. I lived in a muslim country for 15 months and found them to be like anyone else.
Isn't Obama supposed to be CREATING jobs? 20,000 more people laid off as GM folds. That makes the 52 people hired to patch a stretch of highway in Rhode Island look like beans.
well you got Obama and then some guy who changes his name, follows Obama and Islam then goes into a recruiting office and shoots our troops, you think we have bad feelings, YEA. Obama has caused all this by playing up to the muslims and islam and down playing christianity and its time for Obama to get his mind right and work for America not for himself and his muslim nation.
I believe the reasons why Americans feel unsure about Muslims is because they (Muslims) appear to have done very little to stop the terror that perfuses out of Muslim countries. I would say guilt by association at this point. Also when your country is attacked by a certain sect of people, that sect will carry a negative connotation for many years to come. I will be honest with you, when I see someone who appears to be Muslim, my awareness is hightened. The same thing happened with people who appeared to be German during the Hitler era.
Why don't we get to comment on Dick Cheney? He gets to rewrite history and bring us back to the Republican land of make believe, and we don't get to call him on it? Come on CNN, have a stomach. Cheney's been playing the part of the great Oz for the last 8 yrs and now he misses it, end of story.
It's all true. Thank you Bush/Chaney and all the gang. it's going to take generations to fix. After all we all live in the same world.
Come on people lets be honest,the reason republicans are dead set against abortion is because 85percent of the women who gets abortions are white women,there was 1.2million abortions performed last year,out of that 1million of those abortions was white women,since roe vs wade was overturned white women have had 32million abortions,minorities only 5million.white people are 62percent of the population in america,if roe vs wade wasnt overturned white people would have been 70percent of the population today,thats a hudge difference,in the republicans knows it,so i wish the mainstream media along with the republican party would be honest in just tell the truth,that the only reason they care about this abortion issue is because the white population is shrinking at an unbelievable rate,now if minorities was having 85percent of the abortions,the media or the republicans wouldnot care about abortion,in fact the republicans would be pro-abortion just think about it people.
Considering all of the anti-Muslim propaganda in America I'm not surprised.
We may not be at war with Islam, but Islam is certainly at war with us. I still remember my outrage when the news showed Muslims dancing in the streets celebrating after 9/11. It's them or us, and the sooner Obama realizes that, the safer we'll be.
There is no singular "Muslem world" so the very premise of this poll is misleading. Anyway, we are one world and everyone on it needs to strive to be good global citizens. People also need to open themselves up to cultural differences and to learn that not everyone necessarily thinks and acts as they do.
You mean they DON'T eat babies for breakfast in Muslim countries? Gosh. But I heard it in church!
they beat women.
Of course you're right. That's why they elected a muslim president. Duh??!?
Abdulhakim Mujahid Muhammad's killing of a U.S. soldier at a recruiting station in Arkansas yesterday doesn't help.
My guess is Obama is one of those 1 in 5 that have a favorable view of the Muslim countries.
"Americans think people in Muslim countries don't think highly of the United States"..............A better word here would be Muslim countries HATE the United States. A family friend who's had to travel to Muslim countries often tells us that we can't even begin to understand just how much Muslim counties hate the United States and her people. There's only one thing they want and that is to destroy us. With this President I fear they may just do that, destroy us, unless Obama beats them to the punch.
It's hard not to have an unfavorable view of a people who are trying to kill you.
If you want to test the therory, go to a muslim country and ware a pro – America shirt while you are touring the city. If you make it back alive you can tell us then how you feel about muslim countries and how you think they feel about us.
That is too bad...unfortunate and narrow minded..Must we remind people that violence isn't limited to a particular philosophy/belief system..I point to the unfortunate and sad killing of the doctor this past weekend in a Lutheran church. A reverse poll about Americans would be more damning in more than just Muslim countries currently.
We need to clean up our act and be more concerned about humanity and respect diversity.
huh. that's pretty amazing that the sheeple aren't following what obama said. the firmware updates really aren't working now are they?
Too many people believe the fanatical acts of a few represent the collective belief of the whole.
Why would it be surprising if a people have "bad" view of another country or people when that people and their religion calls for elimination of another country or people? That is why other countries do not have a favorable opinion of Bush and Cheney, and we do not have a favorable opinion of Muslims.
Here's one that will probably see the great CNN axe of fate but here goes anywho...
Most people really don't know what to think about the Muslim countries because they've never been there. Think about it, all we see from the media about a Muslim country is where something bad has happened. Good things about them isn't news worthy so why report it. Yes, there are radical muslims that cause the news we see, but is that what creates the backbone of what a Muslim country is? I don't think so. Opinions can be biased based on what they know. If the only part that you know is the negative, then that's they way you will feel about anything.
Congratulations to the Bush administration for successfully manufacturing a global enemy. This allowed the neocons to keep us in a permanent state of war, permitting them to suspend civil liberties, expand executive power, and transfer huge sums from the U.S. Treasury into the pockets of their military-industrial cronies.
And a poll was needed to know these things? Someone has way too much time on their hands.
how embarassing!
we have the Bush administration to thank for that.
As a 20 Veteran who is a African-American Muslim I just have to say its a shame how this is twisted on both sides. The past administration (Rumsfield, Cheney, others), the media and rights wing Christian groups have spread fear in americans lives by spreading miss-information. Just as well some so called Muslims have used the Holy Quran to spread fear and claims that they are justified to do violent acts in the name of "GOD". The key is proper "COMMUNICATION".
This is because of the constant drumbeat of bigotry from Konservative Kolumnist Klan, reprehensable self-serving propoganda machine of the Cheney / Bush criminals, and a colaborationist press selling soap with fear.
The Muslim world is different. They have a different world view. In general they have a different view of the place of church and state than the west. They also adhere to a religion that is law-based rather than redemption based. This makes thenm different that most Americans (Southern Baptists aside...).
Different is not bad, its just different. Any movement has extremes. The extremes do not define the whole. Osama Bin Laden has as much to do with Islam as Randall Terry has with Christianity.
Read history, read the Quran in translation, learn the truth, talk to Muslims. Don't let those who wish to control you though unreasoned fear program you.
Ya think?
Why isn't CNN covering the shooting of the army recruiter in Little Rock? Because a radical Muslim convert who trained in Yemen did the shooting for "religious and political" reasons. If this were covered then the American people might be informed and disapprove of Obama's impersonation of Mr. Rogers (won't you be my neighbor) this week as he travels around the Middle East on the World Apology Tour II.
The guy drives up in front of the recruiting office and opens fire wounding 1 and killing another and there is not a word about it on the site.
CNN – this is outrageous!
Why do we have to be the world police? Why do we have bases on foreign soil? I don't see any foreign bases on US soil. Bobby Kennedy said it best when he said "Each country has a right to it's own destination". Maybe if the US minded it's own business and started taking care of it's own citizens/issues instead of trying to run the world and tell others how they should run their countries, we wouldn't have to worry about terrorists. Geez what a novel idea.
Easy one to awser.christians,jews,and muslims have been fighting each other for centuries.So whats new?
now those are some disgusting and disturbing results from a "christian" nation..... but then again, religious christians usually dont practice what they preach.
Is it any wonder that we do? The more vociferous muslims hate us enough to commit acts of terrorism and murder of innocent people just out of pure hatred. It has cost them a big price too. I view all muslims as potential terrorists due to the violent and intolerant view of their religion. It often teaches hate and intolerance and it has to be their way or the sword. I also think that they are secretly agreeing with all of this terrorist activity. I don't trust them.
With America's long history of attacking and invading Muslim countries, and installing pliable dictators there who terrorize their own people, and we have the gall to feel uppity about Muslims NOT liking US?! Over one MILLION Iraqis have died so the US could try to control their oil...and we have a negative view of THEM? Give me a break!
Don't you people get tired of always doing these polls???? Funny, I'm never been called.....Must of be on the do not call list.....
Yes, it's true. These is because they don't understand Islam, and the few knowledge they have a bout these religion is most of the time negative. President is on the right cause, but i believe Islamic should be taught in schools, to give people the idea, knowedge and facts a bout Islam.
Well, this is not so surprising. This is a region of the world where decapitation is a legitimate form of punishment and sometimes videotaped; women have no gender equality and are oppressed by gender bias in the least and systematic misogyny in the worst; the idea of the seperation of church and state is flat out rejected by most. I mean, a woman in Saudi Arabia is buried up to her head and stoned to death for adultery. What's to like?
In the U.S. we need to handle our freedom better, no doubt. Our children are sexualized, we think education is elitist and we are greedy but regardless the Middle East needs to REFORM NOW!! The 10th century causes the world too many problems.
How many polled are Republicans and Christian Conservatives, etc....
Many diehard Palin supporters believe only what they hear from Fox news and co. in regards to the Muslim world. Many have never traveled, worked, or lived abroad and don't even have passports. So this comes as no surprise. Remember from the campaign trail that one of the strongest Republican/Conservatives arguments is that President Obama is a Muslim....The response of global news sources correctly asserted that their viewpoint was pretty stupid and the world laughed at them..but then again so what if President Obama were a Muslim? A Christian American President has caused the death of hundreds of thousands of women and children.
For the most bigoted of this isolationist 1950’s mindset group, it's simply easier to categorize things into a manner that is easiest understood, however stupid and wrong, so as to avoid the realization that the United States is not the center of the world and that Jesus wasn't an American.
Publishing polls like this certainly does not help the cause for a more peaceful relationship between your country and the Muslim world. Some would take polls such as this and use it as propoganda to say that the US really has not changed its position and is still their enemy. Headlines like this instigate and promote distrust which is in direct oposition to what your President is sincerely trying to do..
The US had 8 years of fear-mongering leaders telling us to watch our neighbors....report suspicious people. ...keep looking over your shoulder....they're trying to get you. Fear was used as justification for expanding government intrusion into our civil rights and privacy. Fear. Fear. Fear. Don't trust anyone.... Hey, guess what? The whole world isn't out to get us. Maybe a little time with a new attitude from our leaders can help restore some sanity. I hope so.
Count me in as an unfavorable vote. I'm not a proponent of any theocracy, regardless of the religion.
What do any of you expect? We spent the last 8 years operating under fear fear fear and cowboy diplomacy.
I wonder why.Duhhh
It doesn't surprise me that a lot of Americans don't hold a favorable view of Muslims and Muslim countries. I bet not even 10 percent of those questioned could tell you the difference between Muslims and Arabs.
I think a lot of the issues surrounding Americans' views of the Middle East and Muslims come out of the terminology of the "War on Terror" like "Axis of Evil" and "weapons of mass destruction."
It's funny that Muslim favorability of the U.S. is actually higher than our view of them. For the 36% of those that believe the U.S. is at war with Muslim countries, they need to be relegated to a corner of the U.S. with no real importance (Wyoming?) or at least re-educated on the subject.
Thanks to our new President, we're not hated as much across the Muslim world. Some damage that the Bush administration has caused can not be undone. The Arab newspapers still post grotesque images of Abu Ghraib on their front pages. And people want the release of more photos? Get real! Those photos tarnish our image, are being used as propoganda and places our troops in imminent danger. It will take time to mend the wounds that have been inflicted upon the Muslim world by the U.S., but the President is on the right path of setting things straight.
Though the vast majority of muslim nations are peace-lovers, a portion of them are, perhaps, unknowingly harborin' terroristic tacticians targetin' the non-muslim world. To ferret out these trojans would not be easy and we opine that terrorism may provide either inspirations or ideas to racistic rancors in non-muslim nations like Australia, for example, which has seen its several of misguided and irate youths assaultin' Asians, for the past few years. Now, those tidings have not hit the radar screen in the west, but sooner or later when it reaches gargantuan proportions, or a critical number, racism probably will vie with terrorism for the top honors. It is only a matter of time.
haha...and that's news?
No wait, here's the eye opener for liberals. Just wait until Obama demands Israel's leader to step down...and then tightens up his friendly status with the muslim nation....soon, people will realize two things; he's not a US citizen, and he's not a Christian.
Ummm...What would fuel such an unfavorable view? Maybe it is:
- The fact that women can't vote
- The fact the women can't drive
- The fact that if a woman is caught speaking to a nonrelative she can be beaten
- The fact that a grown man can marry an 8 year old girl
Just a few points to ponder when you hear Obama and Clinton proclaim how wonderful Islam is.
Publishing polls like this certainly does not help the cause for a more peaceful relationship between your country and the Muslim world. Some would take polls such as this and use it as propoganda to say that the US really has not changed its position and is still their enemy. Headlines like this instigate and promote distrust. That is in direct contrast to what your President is sincerely trying to do.
What a meaningless poll ...
Must be a slow day for news ...
Just a pile of numbers
Most Americans don't know what a Muslim is ...
Personally ... I hold little value in any person that personifies a fake God, and uses that fake God to justify their actions
As in ... George Bush claiming that God spoke to him, and was somehow guiding his behavior over the years
Talk about not taking responsibility for ones own actions ...
Get A Life ...
Why hasn't CNN reported on the muslim that just shot 2 servicemen here in the states???!?!?!?
Why??? What doesn't CNN want you to know??
That is good.
Despite the brain washing by barack obama we have extremists who will try to kill us. Those same extremist treat women like animals and possessions. Our side tries to defend them and say it is okay. It is not okay and never will be. Those same extremist come to this country and have no loyalty to the United States. With out that loyalty they should not be allowed to be here.
At least most Americans see muslims as dangerous. They have fought as terrorists for 1000 of years and will continue to do so.
But the new Homeland Security Chief does not think they are terrorist. She thinks they are just misunderstood...
While Barack goes to the mideast to party with his people.
Still NO solid proof that Barack is a citizen of the US and was even born here. The man is not a citizen of the US and is not our president.
From CNN:
President Barack Obama has proclaimed June to be Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month.
This will make the muslim world love him even more....
Meanwhile, N. Korea and Iran continue to develop nuclear weapons.
Time to impeach Obama.
Blah, blah, blah....
Why does crap like this even make the news? Who cares what a poll of Americans think about other countries? Most Americans are idiots that care little beyond who won American Idol. Topics such as international politics is outside of their intelligence capacity.
The hatred for Islam is based on fear, ignorance, and constant negative coverage of anything Islamic. I know several Muslims through my years of working in construction engineering, and have never had any problems. They are regular folk that want to live the good life, raise their children, and be safe from the problems that have beset their native lands. There are so many variations of Islamic faith that knowing which ones are the jihadists can be difficult. The average American is too lazy to sit down and research the subject, so they are easily influenced by the biases of the media. The American people need to look into the background of the jihad and learn who is the enemy and who is not. Only then can we understand the complexity and depth of the interaction between us and the Arab world.
God willing, the infidel muslims will not tear down the Christian faith in this country. Praise be to God, let Christianity ring, and let all Muslim terrorist and deviants be sent to haides
FEAR FEAR FEAR!!!!!! Thanks Bush & Cheney. The strategery is simple: give Americans a big bad bogeyman arch-nemesis to fear and loathe while trying to set yourself up as the great savior and protector...and voila, instant perma-power. I expect that this poll will be viewed by the GOP as "encouraging." Of course, if/when we fix it, they'll just find some other group to castigate. Hurray for the politics of division!
Please read India's history if you want to get a broader picture of what fundamental muslims are. Tyranny inflicted by fundamental muslims existed since the very birth of that religion. Muslim invasion of India that started about 2000 years ago provides enough insights about what religion fundamental muslims practise. If you give them an inch, they will permeate through your society and take control of your society very soon.
The whole muslim religion is based on the eradication of "non-believers". This is why Hussein Obama's efforts to placate and accomodate them are a foolish effort doomed to failure at the cost of many more American lives. And he says Cheney is wrong. Sheer arrogance and liberal stupidity.
I lived in Turkey between 1989 and 1991. My wife an I thoroughly enjoyed it. The citizens were very nice people and as friendly as you'll find anywhere. American were not hated, in fact we were held in fairly high esteem by most. However, Turkey's government is based on the western model. It is a democracy and they have multiple parties.
That being said, of the 22 conflicts going on around the world right now, 21 involve Muslims. You do the math.
Of course, it's probably Bush's fault.
It seems like the US always has a boogey man to fear.
We feared Native Americans in the late 19th Century and took their land, we feared the Germans and Bolsheviks, then the Communists, and now Muslims.
Why are we so fearful? Could our fear of others be the main reason we're such a war loving people? Who benefits from Americans being so afraid of foreigners?
What will it take for us not to be afraid of others? The media, including CNN, doesn't help when the only time we see Muslims/Arabs on tv is when they are brandishing AK-47s, shaking their fists, shouting, and burning the American flag.
Imagine if the media showed what life was really like in Muslim countries? I think we'd be shocked to find they aren't that much different than we are.
If we learned anything from the Cold War, and it seems we didn't, it's that our perceived enemies really aren't nearly as scary as our imaginations lead us to believe.
The majority of people in the world want to be loved and helpful to others. That's an encouraging notion.
Why would the Muslim world distrust us? All we've done since WWII (when most Muslims countries received independence from Colonial powers) is support despotic regimes in their countries, labeled them in the axis of evil, supported wars in their countries, invaded their lands, demonized their populations, and tried to undermine populists leaders. And in regards to Israel, we've done our best to appease Palestinians, but they (the Palestinians) keep grabbing more and more land. I think the Muslim world better learn to appreciate all we've done; otherwise, we'll just bomb them back to the stone age (again).
Many of us are still waiting for President Obama to condemn the murder of a U.S. serviceman outside a military recruiting center on U.S. soil. Murdered by a convert to Islam. Where is Obama on this ? Where is CNN on this ?
The problem is the extremist frame their actions as their religon vs the US. That will make people here believe that this is the true debate instead of the fact the extremist just want to be king in their country.
Perhaps we should also be asking what the Muslim world thinks of the US.
Extremists come from every religion, culture and ethnicity tainting our perspective.
An American citizen murdered a man in cold blood inside of a Church this past week. Should we hate ourselves?
We must understand before we can ignore, hate and deny.
Muslim world is a world by itself, strange culture , cruel and untrustworthy. USA is trying to appease Muslims by their support
for Bosnians and Albanians in Europe, Pakistanis and Turkey in Asia.
You have to understand one think, no matter what good or bad you are doing in dealing them, they will always hate you and the one that you hurt in "protecting" them are also turning against you. In the process you are turning the "whole World" against you!
A mosque can be built in any almost any non-Muslim dominated country on the planet. Non-Muslim places of worship are severly restricted if not banned in Muslim controlled countrys.
Try carrying a Bible into any one of the 30 or so Muslim controlled countrys.
As long as the Muslim world continues to persecute anyone who is not Muslim and use such harsh punishment (severing hands for robbery, flogging women for daring to be raped, brutal punishment for offenses for which the women are not even allowed to defend themselves in court, and other such human rights violations and indignities; they will not receive a favorable reaction from people in free nations. Religious persecution and intolerance are simply not acceptable in nations that respect the rights of individuals to make their own personal choices.
These actions are viewed as barbaric religious fanaticism by civilized societies. The treatment of animals in an Iraqi Zoo after the fall of Saddam Hussein was quite revealing. Brutality and cruelty for the sake of entertainment and a brief sense of power is nothing more than typical bullying by those who feel inferior and need a victim to make them feel stronger. It's sad, true, and pathetic.
I hold a very unfavorable view of Israel.
ya think !!!! they treat thier women like cattle.. they have very little value for human life,,,, there belief of convert or die,,, has a lot to do on why americans distrust of that part of the world,,,,,
How sad. Since the Three Great Abrahamic Religions are:
Islam.... Judaism ........ and Christianity! We are all brothers in God's eyes. Yet we hate each other.
The 9/11 terrorists were all Saudi Arabians, a country whose "royalty" has been close friends of the Bush family for years.
The GOP went on attack of President Obama after he smiled & shook Hugo Chavez's hand........ however..... the GOP forget that George W. Bush walked ...... hand-in-hand with the Saudis and KISSED them on both cheeks after 9/11!
9/11 was a proof Muslims supported the attack against USA, they were silent. in Palestine, the people cheered when those terrorists attacked the twin tower and Pentagon. We didn't started it they did. Obama will be travelling to Saudi Arabia to pay hommage to his benefactor, the House of SAUD.
In this interview with BBC, Obama AGREED for Iran to have NUCLEAR POWER. Just remember Obama already stated : " I will stand with the Muslims should the political wind shift in an ugly direction." Obama is now standing UP for Iran.
What other proof the people need? OBAMA is a MUSLIM.
When you're born a Muslim, you'll die as a Muslim.
I would like to see a poll on Israel
Maybe we don't see ourselves as being 'at war' with the Muslim world, but they do. And that is the core of the problem. What we need is more diplomats and less soldiers killing people. What a mess. Thank you Bush/Cheney for your legacy.
It would be an act of futility for me to post my view or feelings toward the Muslim world, as CNN would most likely decide not to post it.
It doesn't surprise me in the least. I'm a Canadian immigrant to the US and I haven't held a favorable view of the Muslim world for a long time. Especially with their entitlement behavior and trying to force other people to live by it. You sure don't hear any real public protests against the extremist agenda of many Muslims. Until we do, I don't trust them.
I find this to be disappointing, but not at all surprising. The news media, in general, tends to portray Muslims in a bad light, emphasizing those who act out of their own self-interests and, too often, violently. Every group has good and bad, but the bad Muslim is much more familiar than the good one. I always encourage those I know to look beyond the headlines.
Interesting statistic. It seems that Obama wants to spend his time apologising to the Muslim countries and giving them concessions without asking for any concessions in return. Maybe he should stand up with as much vigor to totalitarian regimes in the Arabian Peninsula as he does to American's that he disagrees with.
The predominantly muslim countries is where you suck their oil guys. Is this the reason why you voted twice for a guy who ruin one muslim world
who has nothing to do with your 9-11 attacks. The republican really did a number in your thinking skills. You'll need reeducation.
Many Americans have never left the city and state they were born in. So their view of anyone outside of their postage stamp of a comfort zone, who does not look like them or think like them is 'feared'.
You could do the same type poll here in America .
The negative dramatization through the media, focusing on 'differences' between people based on race, religion, culture or economics has been a primary selling point for 'news' content. So until out media takes responsibility and present a complete picture, many Americans stuck on their 'postage stamp' will continue to believe what they are told.
This is no surprise. EXTREMISTS carry out 9/11 and Americans blame all Muslims, YET we don't want to be judged by extremists in this country. I guess home grown right-wing extremism is just fine, eh?
Is there going to come a time when the opinions of americans about their own country matters??..poll after poll ask us about what another country thinks of the u.s...who really cares and why do pollsters continue to ask such foolish questions..it is time to put america first and time for president obama to stop apologizing for what makes this country great and it's people the mnost talented in the world