Poll reveals global opposition to US drone strikes

The US drone strikes are widely unpopular in nations across the world, a survey said on Thursday amid criticism from countries including Pakistan over the unmanned aerial attacks that Washington regularly launches to target suspected terrorists.

According to findings of the PewResearchCenter study, drones are viewed unfavorably with 31 of 39 nations surveyed, at least half disapproving the anti-extremists drone campaign in countries such as Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia. In 12 countries, eight-in-ten or more hold this view, a 39-nation study found.

The only countries in which a majority supports American drone strikes are Israel (64%), the US itself (61%), and  Kenya (56%), it said.

The study also finds that the world increasingly believes China will become the top superpower but the United States enjoys a better image in most regions.

Moreover, the study finds that the United States is still enjoying the boost to its reputation that followed the election of President Barack Obama — except in a number of Islamic nations where Washington remains widely disliked.

As has been the case in recent years, the Poll said, America’s image is the most negative in parts of the Muslim world, especially Pakistan (11% favourable), Jordan (14%), Egypt (16%), and the Palestinian territories (16%). Only 21% of Turks see the US positively, although this is actually a slight improvement from last year’s 15%.

But the Muslim world is hardly monolithic, and America receives largely positive ratings in predominantly Muslim nations such as Senegal in West Africa and Indonesia and Malaysia in Southeast Asia, it said.

Elsewhere in the Asia/Pacific region, the US receives particularly favorable reviews in the Philippines, South Korea and Japan.