By Andrew Kohut
As President Obama prepares to make a major address later today on the tumultuous changes spreading throughout the Middle East, a new survey by the Pew Research Center’s Global Attitudes Project finds that the rise of pro-democracy movements has not led to an improvement for America’s image in the region. Instead, in key Arab nations and in other predominantly Muslim countries, views of the US remain negative — indeed, in Jordan, Turkey and Pakistan views are even more negative than they were one year ago.
Obama himself remains unpopular in the Muslim nations polled, with the exception of Indonesia, and most disapprove of the way he has handled the calls for political change roiling the region. In Jordan, just 28 percent express confidence in President Obama to do the right thing in world affairs; in Turkey, just 12 percent. And in interviews conducted before US forces killed Osama bin Laden, the survey finds just 10 percent of Pakistanis expressing confidence in President Obama.
Moreover, many of the concerns that have driven animosity toward the United States in recent years are still present: a perception that the US acts unilaterally, opposition to the war on terror and fears of America as a military threat. And in countries such as Jordan, Lebanon and Pakistan, most say their own governments cooperate too much with the United States.
While the Arab Spring has not led to a change in America’s image, it has generated considerable interest and excitement, especially in the Arab nations surveyed. Overwhelming numbers of Jordanians (98 percent), Egyptians (96 percent), Palestinians (94 percent) and Lebanese (86 percent) have followed news about political demonstrations in the region. In Arab countries there is widespread optimism that the protests will lead to more democracy. Most Israelis have also followed the political upheaval in neighboring countries, but they are divided over whether it will produce more democratic societies.
The survey, conducted March 21-April 26 in Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Lebanon, Pakistan, Turkey, Israel and the Palestinian territories, examines a range of other issues.
Some key findings:
• Support for Democracy: Democracy is widely seen as the best form of government, especially in Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt, where more than seven-in-ten hold this view. Majorities in almost all of the Muslim countries surveyed say freedom of speech, free elections, gender equality and religious freedom are very important in a democracy.
• Desire for a Strong Economy: When asked to choose between a good democracy and a strong economy, reactions are mixed. In Turkey, Egypt and Lebanon, opinions are nearly evenly divided, while in Jordan, the Palestinian territories, Pakistan and Indonesia, far more prioritize a strong economy over a good democracy.
• Islam and the Law: In Pakistan, Jordan and Egypt, solid majorities believe laws should be based strictly on the teachings of the Quran, while this is a minority viewpoint in Turkey, Lebanon, Indonesia and the Palestinian territories.
• Radical Islamist Groups: Al Qaeda is rated negatively by majorities in all countries, although more than a quarter express a positive opinion of the terrorist group in the Palestinian territories. The Lebanese Shia group Hezbollah receives majority support only in the Palestinian territories. Hamas receives considerable support in Jordan and Egypt, but nowhere — including the Palestinian territories — does a majority offer a positive rating of the Palestinian organization.
• Suicide Bombing: The percentage of Muslims who say suicide bombing in defense of Islam is often or sometimes justifiable stands at 10 percent or less in Indonesia, Turkey and Pakistan. Support for these acts is somewhat more common in Arab nations, although there have been steep declines over the last decade in Lebanon and Jordan. Palestinian Muslims, however, remain an outlier on this question: 68 percent say suicide attacks can be justified. And in Egypt, support for suicide bombing is actually on the rise — currently, 28 percent believe it can be justified, up from 8 percent in 2007.
Andrew Kohut is the President of the Pew Research Center.
