Posted on 12/18/2005 11:53:34 PM PST by FairOpinion
A new poll from Pakistan, a critical front-line in the war on terror, paints a very different picture--by revealing a sea-change in public opinion in recent months.
Pakistanis now hold a more favorable opinion of the U.S. than at any time since 9/11, while support for al Qaeda in its home base has dropped to its lowest level since then. The direct cause for this dramatic shift in Muslim opinion is clear: American humanitarian assistance for Pakistani victims of the Oct. 8 earthquake that killed 87,000. The U.S. pledged $510 million for earthquake relief in Pakistan and American soldiers are playing a prominent role in rescuing victims from remote mountainous villages.
the number of Pakistanis with a favorable opinion of the U.S. doubled to more than 46% at the end of November from 23% in May 2005. A similar picture is evident in Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation.
Since May, the percentage of Pakistanis who feel terrorist attacks against civilians are never justified has more than doubled to 73% from less than half, while the minority who still support terrorist attacks has also shrunk significantly. There's been a similar increase in the number of Pakistanis disapproving of bin Laden, which rose to 41% in November up from only 23% in May.
The important point is that direct contact with Americans on a humanitarian mission, including military personnel, has a positive impact on how Muslims view America. In Pakistan, 78% of those surveyed said that American assistance has made them feel more favorable to the U.S. America also fared much better in the opinion of ordinary Pakistanis than the other Western countries that also provided aid, or even local radical Islamist groups that made a much-publicized effort to provide earthquake relief.
(Excerpt) Read more at opinionjournal.com ...
Much more quickly and decisively, than the naysayers would ever imagines.
It's late -- w was too close to s on the keyboard.
I meant "WINNING" the war.
The Pakistanis have a higher view of Americans than the Democrats.
Excellent observation, and unfortunately true.
Yes we are and how about another applause for our military and Commander in Chief and of course the American people who are pitching in as usual to help. Stay the course, Mr. President. The truth will win out.
Doesn't everybody?
Pakistan is our "ally" --- until she is not our ally...
Pakistan is Muslim first, and ally to the U.S. so long as it furthers their ambitions......and NO LONGER.
Semper Fi
Yeah, well if the Pakistanis would cough up Bin Laden and al-Zawahiri for us, I might be more inclined to think better of them.
Musharraf has one of the toughest jobs in the world.
But but...
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1543176/posts
Pakistan to stand by Iran in case of aggression
Khaleej Times ^ | 19 December 2005
Posted on 12/19/2005 2:47:53 AM EST by F14 Pilot
Pakistan will stand by Iran in case of any aggression, Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri has said.
Talking to newsmen, Kasuri also expressed frustration that while Pakistan has shown lot of flexibility on the Kashmir issue in talks with India, there is no reciprocal movement from India on any count.
On Iran, whose foreign minister was in Islamabad last week, Kasuri said Pakistan is strongly opposed to any attack on Iran by the United States or any other country. He said Pakistan will stand by Iran in case of any aggression.
He said Iranian foreign minister's statement during his recent visit to Pakistan provides testimony to our policy towards Teheran.
Pakistan wants that the nuclear issue be resolved through dialogue according to the principles of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), he added.
He said Pakistan would continue its quest for acquiring latest technology and defence equipment at all costs to maintain a balance of power in the region.
That's a helluva big "But..." in my mind.
"Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri has said."
Well, he could be just like Powell was in the Bush administration, when he tried to undercut President Bush, when he made pronouncements that were not aligned with President Bush's foreign policy, and he made them publicly, so then President Bush had to dance around, so as not to slap him down publicly, but get out of the policy pronouncements Powell made.
To quote the late Dutch film maker Theo Van Gogh (murdered by a muslim extremist):
"With certain friends, you don't need enemies any more."
I've got my reservations about those Pakistanis.
They have a temp use for us right now. Soon as that disappears, they'll drop us like we were a red hot rock that someone's dropped into their hand.
This is the home of the Taliban. THis is the sanctuary of Al-Quaeda.
This is the home of the ISI.
This is the home of the Kashmiri murderers.
This is the home of the spreaders of the Islamic Bomb.
Trust anything out of Pakistan to your own detriment folks.
This article is going to send the folks at the NYSlimes into hysterics. They need to be on a suicide watch.
It might be more accurate to say that we have a temp use for them right now.
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