Spectator/YouGov poll (dramatic shift in Britons view of terrorism)

The Spectator (U.K.) ^ | 08/19/06 | Allister Heath

[letsgonova19087]

WHOA I wouldn't have guessed those results. Maybe this last plot was the straw that breaks the camel's back. The liberals both here and there should take notice. Play time with terrorists is over.

[mewzilla]

It's a YouGov poll. Consider the source.

[letsgonova19087]

I'm gonna take the risk of sounding stupid by saying who is YouGov?

[OldArmy52]

Isn't this represent classic bipolar behavior?

[300magnum]

‘The British people now feel that they are in a global war with terrorism, and one that will last ten years or more. But that doesn’t mean they have bought into the American “neocon” view of the future — even though they recognise the threat, and want a more aggressive response from the UK,’ he says. Instead, Shakespeare says, the public would rather that this more robust response from Britain came ‘from within the group of European nations rather than with the United States. They appreciate the scale of the conflict we are in, but see it as safer to be identified with Europe.

Yeah, our friends and allies....

[razorback-bert]

the chattering classes

I like that!

[crazycat]

You Gov is a Net based polling Co.

they consistently come up with anti US results.

[letsgonova19087]

I would say these results are positive rather than negative...wouldn't you?

[TChris]

I'm convinced that a big part of the anti-American sentiment of Europeans comes from the poor representation they see from our various entertainers as well as those travelers who can afford to visit Europe. Both groups, professional entertainers and wealthy tourists, are providing only a marginal representation of America. It's likely that representation is a negative one.

Am I completely off base, or is this thinking in the right direction?

[Brad from Tennessee]

Of course they're positive. I agree. The West has to wake up to the poisonous serpent under its bed.

[HHFi]

A mere 14 per cent of respondents believe that Britain should continue to align herself closely with the US, against 45 per cent who said that we should position ourselves closer to Europe

You want to be tougher on terrorists, so you want to dump America and work with the French? Good luck with that.

The Brits need to wake up and realize that their bad impression of America stems from two things: the relentlessly negative image of the US being pounded out every day by both the American MSM and their own leftist media, including the BBC (which actually gets tax money to spew its pro-Islamist, anti-US & Israel propaganda) and the fact that doing the tough jobs never makes anyone "popular" with highly self-regarding elites. They'd never deign to be seen with the Roto-Rooter man, but when the sewage is up to their knees, guess who they call?

Bush inherited a giant stable full of horse manure from the previous administration, and the people who loved that administration now blame him for the smell as he has to clean it out. They should instead be eternally grateful that someone finally had the gumption to pick up the damn shovel.

[letsgonova19087]

"They'd never deign to be seen with the Roto-Rooter man, but when the sewage is up to their knees, guess who they call?"

Best quote of the day. Def. gonna have to remember that one.

[Brit1]

No doubt we Brits have some big problems with the way Hollywood portrays America..... 'U571' an example....so it was the Americans who captured that Enigma code machine and saved us from the Uboats...It never happened it was the Royal Navy.... and more recently and even worse.. the 2 American pilots that saved us from the nazis and won the Battle of Britain .... having met Battle of Britain pilot Robert Stanford Tuck, 'Fly for your Life' (recommended reading) in the early 1980s and having a father who was a WWII pilot B24s and Lancasters its difficult to respond to such drivel.
You guys don't need to claim our victories for gawds sake you have enough of your own heroes.We here know well of the 8th Army Air Force and the part they played over nazi Gemany, Omaha beach and the courage shown there and the fight to retake the pacific islands. Best thing the US could do to improve relations with more of us Brits is to stop Hollywood presenting your history with so many untruths for no other reason than the need for a quick buck. Nothing wrong with making a quick buck unless you undermine your countries credibility by doing so.
Going to watch Blackhawk Down over the weekend excellent film portraying some very courageous actions Gary and Randy earning Postum CMoHs. Its a fair balanced film politically right and it makes you think.No credibility Lost there thank god .

[Brit1]

We are already awake and nobody here wants to work with French at least not in any military way.

Their wines ok but nothing else.And as I keep saying on FR there's a 20 sea miles between us and 'them'and the vast majority of us here are very grateful for it.

[WOSG]

"Almost three quarters of the British public are now convinced that we are fighting a new world war against extremist Islamic terrorists — and although they may not recognise the names, on this issue at least, most are in the same camp as leading US conservatives such as Eliot Cohen, Norman Podhoretz and Newt Gingrich. The public is also deeply concerned at how this new conflict is developing, with four out of five judging the West to be losing and the terrorists to be winning."
- Wow.

[eddie willers]

the relentlessly negative image of the US being pounded out every day by both the American MSM and their own leftist media, including the BBC

I've been around long enough to know to read a thread before responding in case someone has already gotten it right.

Congratulations. :o)

[getmeouttaPalmBeachCounty_FL]

I know you've been here a few months already, however, welcome to FR!

[WOSG]

"I'm convinced that a big part of the anti-American sentiment of Europeans comes from the poor representation they see from our various entertainers as well as those travelers who can afford to visit Europe. "

A lot of it is simply media bias. The media is leftwing, and is reflexively anti-American. When the media treats Bush as a dangerous cowboy, etc. and our own Hollywood nitwits confirm that prejudice with their own expressions, it influences the Europeans.

[WOSG]

"The Brits need to wake up and realize that their bad impression of America stems from two things: the relentlessly negative image of the US being pounded out every day by both the American MSM and their own leftist media, including the BBC (which actually gets tax money to spew its pro-Islamist, anti-US & Israel propaganda) and the fact that doing the tough jobs never makes anyone "popular" with highly self-regarding elites. They'd never deign to be seen with the Roto-Rooter man, but when the sewage is up to their knees, guess who they call?"

WELL SAID.