How does the world view the United States?

I'm afraid that I'm opening a can of worms with this thread, but I keep hearing about how hated and unpopular the United States is today. My question is for non-Americans on these forums and what your perception is of the U.S. today, whether it is positive or negative.

Like all countries, the general populace seems fine. It's always the government that is dubious. People aren't skeptical enough of the governments they elect.

Mickiana said:

Like all countries, the general populace seems fine. It's always the government that is dubious. People aren't skeptical enough of the governments they elect.

Click to expand...

I agree. I've been very unhappy with some of the things my country's government has done in recent years. (I'm American btw)

My perception of the US is very similar to how things are in the UK and how we are viewed.


Our foreign policy is the main issue and is complicated to say the least right now.

Our governments seem to think they are the world police and the poeple of our countries are tired of this and afraid of the cost, financially and the trouble it brings to our doors.

The UK was once a proud nation that now only has past glories to remember and just jumps on the coat tails of the USA.

Our citizens are diverse and many are disillusioned with those who are in authority.

We don't seem to trust our governments are doing the right thing and although supportive of our heroic forces, many are now uneasy as to why exactly they are fighting.

I think general opinion over here is Obama has failed to live up to his hype and whilst he has boosted his popularity by killing Bin Laden, he was not doing so great until then.

Why do people hate us?

Obviously we have been stepping on the toes of various countries for a while now. Interfering and whilst done for the "right" reasons officially, many feel there are ulterior motives, such as oil.

We are relatively successful countries who's cultures and art in all forms has spread globally.

There is possibly an amont of jealousy at our success but possibly also because of the sanctimonious way in which our leaders and representatives come across?

The hedonistic lifestyles of the rich and famous are the aspirations of the common people in our countries whereas other countries and faiths see this level of decadence as vulgar and even sinful.

Basically the world sees the USA as the highschool jock bully who deludedly thinks he is awesome and everyone wants to be him and the UK as one of the little guys in the gang who stands behind him.

What he said.

I haven't travelled to Britain or the United States yet. I bet I'd get a kick out of meeting the folks over there.

The governments of the US, Britain and Australia (the 'Coalition of the Willing') are exercising Foreign Policy that is thinly disguised as safe guarding democracy. Keeping a monopoly on oil is more like it and ensuring domestic economies keep consuming oil, energy and cheaply made products from overseas poverty industries.

In regards to the world's image of America, well, the Bushes didn't help, especially Dubbya; that 9-11 looked sus in a few ways (and happened while Dubbya was in charge); that the second Iraq war was a blatant oil war (where were the WMDs?) and that the democratic liberation of the people of Iraq also meant some of them (100 000 plus) were liberated right off the face of the earth. OBL wasn't even on the FBI's Most Wanted List as linked to 9-11, but he was on the hit parade of hiking up Obama's domestic ratings.

America has an image of being a bunch of cowboys and conservatives and being generally ignorant of the world outside of their own country. I like to think this is unfair and that such generalisations are so wide of the mark as to be mostly wrong. America is the richest country in the world (while sustaining much poverty of course) and there is a tremendous amount of good things happening there. Like I said before, we have got to be sus on our governments. I'd rather bank on the people than on any government.

Australia, like America, has a terrible history of colonialism and genocide of native peoples. I think that most citizens in each of our countries may not be fully aware of this history. It wasn't many decades ago that a farmer here could have a license to shoot an aboriginal found on his farm land. Our history is as recent as yours in America and is just as bloody (minus a Civil Rights war which we haven't had).

The World's biggest problem with the United States is how the United States views the World.

I think the questions, how does the .000000000000000001 percent of the world's population that is on the The Raven view the us....

The world or just loud outspoken minorities?

I laugh when people still hate on Bush, especially concerning his foreign policy. All the democrats in this country piled on post-Katrina and what little honest reporting he got went away. Yet Obama's administration has backed and continued nearly all the "controversial" policies of the Bush administration.
- Gitmo open (guess what dems you and Obama found out together it has purpose, a good one)
- Detainess are NOT getting civilian trials as the dems wanted and insisted should happen.
- OMG it took FEMA under Bush 5 days to respond to Katrina, it took Obama 9 Days to respond verbally that the BP oil spill was a problem. Duh?!
- Libya, we will only be there a few days....what is it now month 2? Dems and their "we hate war" chants. Hypocities or the reality of Global politics?
- Waterboarding is evil, yeah it isn't pretty but it led to intel that got Bin Laden. Probably should put it back on the table.

I could list other domestic issue but this is about how does the world see the United States? Well when Denmark has an army that can handle a crisis let me know. When Ecuador has the finances and means to assist in a tsunami fill me in. Look it's about who has the resources and frankly that is the United States.


The frankly absurd misunderstanding that we went it to Iraq "obviously" for oil is laughable. Someone quick, tell me the last time the US occupied and set up shop in a foregin country as a means of colonialism ....waiting.....waiting....waiting. If we were there "just for oil" then somebody tell me how many barrels of oil has the US government been pumping out of Iraq? How. Many. Are we overseeing the oil production to keep our costs down? Are we? No cause it's over $4 a gallon here and that isn't to anyone's liking. We invaded Iraq for oil, get real people.

We went back in cause Saddam would shelter terroists. He bragged about having WMD and *NEWS FLASH* the WHOLE WORLD, not just the US, had reason to believe him. Shock I know to be reminded of that.

Frankly we probably do more than we should. Along with the UK, Australia and to some extent France. Poland deserves some props and the former Soveit block states really love us. Hell one of them errected a statue to Clinton 2-3yrs ago so the "whole world" doesn't 'hate' us. If it were entirely humanatrian and policing then the Coalition of the Willing should've been in places like Rwanda, Burma and the like a long time ago. Even we have limits. Our resources not infinite.

Yeah, I'm sure it's good 'water cooler' talk to bash the US/UK etc but when a tsunami hits who can have a floating city there in the days with supplies, medicines and equipment to begin helping out? We can.

Are we perfect, no but we try which is more than most countries can do or would do.

I forgot to add...

Personally, I love the USA, it's people and culture. I have only been to Florida (5 times) but it's one of the few countries I would love to travel.



Good post Captain, well said. I think it more eloquently supports my point that a lot of it's probably petty jealousy and the tainted media coverage of other countries.