Posted on 03/03/2005 10:54:04 PM PST by anymouse
WASHINGTON, March 4 /PRNewswire/ -- In the first substantial shift of public opinion in the Muslim world since the beginning of the United States' global war on terrorism, more people in the world's largest Muslim country now favor American efforts against terrorism than oppose them. This is just one of many dramatic findings of a new nationwide poll in Indonesia released today.
"In a stunning turnaround of public opinion, support for Bin Laden and terrorism in the world's most populous Muslim nation has dropped significantly, while favorable views of the United States have increased," said Kenneth Ballen, President of Terror Free Tomorrow, which commissioned the poll. "The poll shows that the reason for this positive change is the American response to the tsunami," Ballen added.
Key Findings of the Poll:
* For the first time ever in a major Muslim nation, more people favor US-led efforts to fight terrorism than oppose them (40% to 36%).
Importantly, those who oppose US efforts against terrorism have declined by half, from 72% in 2003 to just 36% today.
* For the first time ever in a Muslim nation since 9/11, support for Osama Bin Laden has dropped significantly (58% favorable to just 23%).
* 65% of Indonesians now are more favorable to the United States because of the American response to the tsunami, with the highest percentage among people under 30.
* Indeed, 71% of the people who express confidence in Bin Laden are now more favorable to the United States because of American aid to tsunami victims.
The Terror Free Tomorrow poll was conducted in February by the leading Indonesian pollster, Lembaga Survei Indonesia, and surveyed 1,200 adults nationwide with a margin of error of ± 2.9 percentage points.
Complete poll results and graphics are available at http://www.terrorfreetomorrow.org .
About Terror Free Tomorrow
Terror Free Tomorrow is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to promote a new strategic framework to defeat global terrorists by undermining the support base that empowers them. For more information, please see http://www.terrorfreetomorrow.org. Terror Free Tomorrow has received endorsements from Senator John McCain, 9/11 Commission Chairs Thomas Kean and Lee Hamilton, and other prominent national security leaders.
CONTACT: Matthew Joseph of Terror Free Tomorrow, +1-301-229-3900, ext. 202, or mjoseph@terrorfreetomorrow.org.
Source: Terror Free Tomorrow
I doubt it was the Tsumami alone, and who can tell how long opinions will last given it seems to be the fate of humans to fluctuate in their opinions (reference our own polls), encouraging nevertheless.
I do have a question. Where are all the people that denounced our aid to the people struck by the Tsumami? Those stating the Government had no right to hand out our money to people hit hard by a natural disaster. The people boiling in rage at this charitable act.
Seems to have paid divendends in public opinion, something that aids our foreign policy. Something that can benefit our security as a nation. Seems the money wasn't wasted if it even temporaily breaks through the propaganda these people have been told about Americans. The same propaganda that leads to recruits for terrorism.
It really is a simple message.
Bush is so often criticized for his simplicity...
Sometimes it is the simple and humble person who has the potential for the greatest impact.
George Bush was born for such a time as this.
Importantly, those who oppose US efforts against terrorism have declined by half, from 72% in 2003 to just 36% today.
* For the first time ever in a Muslim nation since 9/11, support for Osama Bin Laden has dropped significantly (58% favorable to just 23%).
* 65% of Indonesians now are more favorable to the United States because of the American response to the tsunami, with the highest percentage among people under 30.
* Indeed, 71% of the people who express confidence in Bin Laden are now more favorable to the United States because of American aid to tsunami victims.
It's late I guess I'll have to catch more of this major change of mindset for the better in the New York Times in the morning over a hot cup of coffee. /sarcasm
Big Ol' Bump.
You got it right on the nose! Love, not intolerance. Firm defiance of their aims, yet fair in our fight.
Very important...
Shutting down till morning!!!!
Amor Vincit Omnia!
I was very ambivalent about the foreign aid. It doesn't always buy us favors... such as Bush's all-but-forgotten $15 billion aid to fight African AIDS that was snubbed by an ungrateful Mandela.
However, if I recall correctly, the UN got tied up in a lot of political squabbling over the tsunami relief, pocketed tons of the aid, and criticized everything about the US efforts. Perhaps the Indonesians saw that it was only the United States that got anything substantial accompolished in the relief efforts. And, perhaps the rest of the poorer nations among the world are coming to the same conclusion. Just ask all those helpless women in Congo who were raped by the so-called peacekeepers.
Sometimes it takes a long time for people to figure out the difference between talkers and doers...
Oh yes, Katie Couric will be all over this on the Today Show. In the fifth dimension.
That's it, W, stay the course....steady, now.
And we'll be telling our grandchildren about those remarkable days.
The MSM will spend all day, holding the breath, waiting to report that now 1501 soldiers have been killed in Iraq.
Wow.
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