World's Opinion Of U.S. Has 'Improved Sharply' Under Obama, Says BBC Poll

Since Barack Obama entered office, the world's view of the United States has 'improved sharply,' according to a poll carried out by the BBC World Service.

Nearly 30,000 people in 28 countries were asked to rate countries on their positive impact upon the world. This year 46% of the respondents rated the US's influence as positive - the first time since 2005 that the survey returned more positive votes than negative for America.

"After a year, it appears the 'Obama effect' is real" said Steven Kull director Program on International Policy Attitudes (Pipa) at the University of Maryland, who helped conduct the poll.

"Its influence on people's views worldwide, though, is to soften the negative aspects of the United States' image, while positive aspects are not yet coming into strong focus."

In Germany, positive ratings for the United States jumped from 18% in 2009 to 39% this year. Jumps like this and others helped the US overtake China in the rankings, where positive ratings dropped to 41%

The only two countries to have seen a drop in positive views of the US are Turkey and India.

Despite this, the US still trails behind other countries with higher ratings. Germany is the most favorably viewed nation (an average of 59% positive), followed by Japan (53%), the United Kingdom (52%), Canada (51%), and France (49%).

At the other end of the list, Iran is the least favorably viewed nation (15%), followed by Pakistan (16%), North Korea (17%), Israel (19%), and Russia (30%).

Read detailed poll findings here

Comments

[bytheC]

10:25 PM on 04/26/2010

Keep up the good work Obama. It's gonna take years of scrubbing to clean up W's Mess.

[JImmy Violette]

11:25 PM on 04/23/2010

Yes yes thats it puppets bow and PRAISE your beloved Obama Yes !! worship him!! feed that Ego!!!!!!!! Maybe he can work his hypnotic yoyo magic on Iran so they won't drop a nuke on us since we now have our backs turned!!

[Nordean Baxter]

02:22 AM on 04/21/2010

America can be the best counrty in the world, but there are many problems here. The very denial of the President's popularity is appauling when numbers don't lie. When the citizens want the president to fail is drzy you have some serious problems. People hate thePresident simply because of his skin color is a problem. There is always room for improvement even in America. Its the best country in thre world to some but not to everyone. When a country is great everyone shares in the wealth, everyone eats every day, everyone has a place to live, there is hope for everyone . race has no place. we are getting better I think.

[dumbeddown]

02:07 AM on 04/21/2010

Positives down and negatives up in India, Russia, Pakistan and Turkey. Good think those countries don't matter.

[dlpr]

02:46 AM on 04/21/2010

Did you read the actual report?
"Russia (up from 7% to 25%)"

Yes on Turkey and India:
"The only countries where perceptions of the US became more negative overall were Turkey (where the proportion with positive perceptions of the US fell from 21% to 13 % and negative perceptions increased from 63 to 70%), and in India (where positive perceptions dipped from 43 to 39% and negative views increased from 20 to 28%)."

[dumbeddown]

03:03 AM on 04/21/2010

I stand corrected on Russia.

"However, the poll finds that views of US influence in the world are still mainly negative, though they improved in 11 out of the 23 countries also polled a year ago."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7324337.stm

[Galong]

04:43 AM on 04/21/2010

Nice attitude. That's exactly why so many people from so many other countries don't like Americans. It's attitudes like yours that bring the overall opinion of Americans down.

I assume you've never been to any of the countries that you're dissin', right? Have you ever lived anywhere other than the US? I have a few friends who have lived in Turkey, for example, and they absolutely loved it.

FYI, there are plenty of places that are offer more freedom, less "big brother", certainly less taxes, more civil liberties, a better lifestyle, much more laid-back people, etc. I happen to live is such a country.

If you were 'tongue in cheek', sorry I came back so hard. If not, I stand by all of it. LOL

[dumbeddown]

12:53 PM on 04/21/2010

Actually I've never lived in the US.

[heariam]

11:41 PM on 04/20/2010

It make me proud to be a American when I hear that people of the world feel this way about us again.... I have always been proud to be a American, but Bush really gave us a black eye but now our bruises are healing pretty well.....

Thanks Obama for doing all you have done for our Country and for trying your best to bring peace to the world ....

It has always bothered me when our elected officials have acted like ravingmad-lunatics because I know the world is watching all that goes on here. If we can't have peace among ourselves then how can we help bring peace to the world...

[Dosadi]

08:42 PM on 04/20/2010

"SteveMarlin I'm a Fan of SteveMarlin I'm a fan of this user 6 fans permalink
Hey - great let's hold a trial. And make you round up Pelosi for her roll in "the lie."

Pelosi said "Saddam Hussein has been engaged in the development of weapons of mass destruction technology which is a threat to countries in the region and he has made a mockery of the weapons inspection process."

Of course she wrote this - BEFORE BUSH TOOK OFFICE."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LOL! Of course Pelosi said that before Bush took office. it was no secret that Saddam was working with WMD. He got them from us. He got finished product and pre-cursors from us. In fact there was a congressional brush up about it because the dems thought it was a bad idea but the republican trolls came out in force in favor of giving these to Saddam. Here is a quote I'm sure you have forgotten.

"The liberals want to stop President Reagan from selling chemical warfare agents and military equipment to Saddam Hussein, and why? Because Saddam 'allegedly' gassed a few Kurds in his own country. Mark my words. All of this talk of Saddam Hussein being a 'war criminal' or 'committing crimes against humanity' is the same old thing. LIBERAL HATE SPEECH!"
Rush Limbough 11/3/88

You republicans are responsible for what Saddam Hussein did, he got the WMD from you. Now what you got to say? An apology or just more hyperbole?

[Klarsonent]

03:48 PM on 04/20/2010

President Obama earned this. He has been out there since he got into office, communicating, negotiating, and listening to our allies as well as our enemies. Something George W. was too afraid or inept to do.

[ThomasPaineWeNeedYou]

02:33 PM on 04/20/2010

Just proves you cannot be a prophet or more realistically a recognized respected leader in your own land.
I seems it always seen more away than at home.
What is wrong with the 30% that can't see what a good leader he is and why do they get all the attention and we don't here from at least the 70% that see the goodness and leadership in this President?

[Dosadi]

08:44 PM on 04/20/2010

They may be suffering from an illness. I heard that racism is an illness, could this be it?

[ljkcan]

08:48 PM on 04/20/2010

I said that yesterday and I got called a puke. Today I got called dude. To conservatives know how to address people they don't agree with in a non-derogatory manner?.

Just asking I am Canadian polite in in the DNA.

[ThomasPaineWeNeedYou]

10:57 PM on 04/20/2010

Great dialogue between you and ljkcan fanned again if could it was great reading.

[ljkcan]

08:44 PM on 04/20/2010

I find it sad the rest of us around the world think it is a huge improvement yet in the US there is this deep seeded hatred of the man. I watched the whole election well I was in the hospital and had nothing better to do but very rarely do you find a politician as gifted as him.

[ThomasPaineWeNeedYou]

10:56 PM on 04/20/2010

I read the whole exchange between you and Dosadi and you are so fanned I love Canada and it's people one of the prettiest countries in the world. I hitched a lot of it in the 70's.
Fanned and thanks for the dialogue.

[Jamie Kowalski]

02:29 PM on 04/20/2010

It's unbelieveable to me that some people seem upset by this news. How is having more allies a bad thing? How is having more respect a bad thing? How are having common goals a bad thing?

You are so blinded by your hatred of our president, that you would rather have the world hate our country than be our friends? You disgust me.

[LogicalMathMan]

02:08 PM on 04/20/2010

Just to recap:

1) the summit in Cairo that extended some form of equanimity to hostile US Mid East policy, albeit in a nation that suppresses her opposition;
2) the reception accorded the Dalai Lama over the objections of China, our foremost trading partner;
3) The commitment shown at the Copenhagen summit to reduce emissions;
4) the mending of fences of Rumsfeld's 'old Europe' alienation;
5) the passage of national health care that would seek some redress due to the absence of the public option;
6) the closing of Gitmo despite cries that the handful of enemy combatants have no place in our prisons;
7) the surge in Afghanistan with a time line for compliance of local objectives and addressing corruption;
8) taking on big banks through financial reform despite outcries by the very party that objected to the bailout of these firms;
9) Timely response in Haiti unlike the one in New Orleans, post-Katrina;
10) an intelligent, articulate, sensible, peace-loving, tolerant, good human being who cares not for racists or their 'leaders' who have been energized by conservative power brokers, and is working toward eliminating 'don't ask, don't tell' for our gay brethren in the armed forces.

I'd say this is not too shabby a record for the 15 months Mr. Obama has been in office. We need to ensure a majority in the House come November.

[hollybork]

10:42 AM on 04/20/2010

Improvement in world relations was one of the principle reasons many of us supported the brilliant and reasonable Barack Obama when he ran, as a relative unknown, for the Presidency. I have great hopes for those relations to continue to improve. The nuclear deterrent summit held with world leaders recently was a tremendous step in the right direction. The appointment of Hillary Clinton was also a decisive and wise move, allowing our influence for good to be expanded out to those populations of women and children who are abused or exploited by men, and underserved by their governments in many parts of the world.

Lastly, Obama has a demeanor suitable to compromise and peacemaking. He exhibits modesty, subtlety and grace, a light and affable touch which goes over well in both sophisticated, rural, cosmopolitan and basic cultures around the world. He does not threaten and demean other countries, does not posture in a pugnacious or hostile way as have other Presidents (Truman, Eisenhower, Johnson and the two Bushies come to mind). He is a practical problem solver and a good listener with critical intelligence and calm reflective abilities. I am so very greatful we were given this leader at this time by Divine Providence and the wisdom of the American Voters.

[ljkcan]

12:07 PM on 04/20/2010

very well said. He is a breath of fresh air.

[RichardD]

12:46 PM on 04/20/2010

I agree with your comment. President Obama is a consensus builder, not a divider, articulating his points both cogently, and with backup reasoning.

[clipton]

10:02 AM on 04/20/2010

You could have put in a toad after President Cheney and it would have improved.

[kleighhoff]

01:22 PM on 04/26/2010

I have to say that the toad option would have left us worse off than Cheney and the like had. McCain wanted to keep all the same b.s. policies in place that Bush approved of.

[banker67]

08:56 AM on 04/20/2010

This is general impression, not issue-specific appraisal.
We don't want to jump to conclusions, but you could interpret this to mean that people prefer a well-spoken, thoughtful man who can express ideas worthy of an educated person.
No fear mongering, no brain-dead religiosity, no deep and abiding contempt for everyone not born into a family with more money and connections than they can count.
It's just one interpretation of these results, of course.

[Mabila]

08:31 AM on 04/20/2010

Oh Yes! This is one of the many reasons I like President Obama!

[dlpr]

08:19 AM on 04/20/2010

As an American who has lived abroad - in a pro US country (Poland) during both this and the last administration, and still do, I can say it is absolutely true that the US image has improved with Obama - despite the only US-Poland issue many in the US know (the missile shield). Of course, this does not mean agreement to every issue and one can find individual exceptions but day-to-day, no question, the perception of the US is much improved - dramatically so.

BTW: the Obama = "socialism" arguments are seen as a total joke - something they know a thing or two about.