Perceptions of American foreign policy
Having just returned to New York after more than two weeks in Australia and the Gulf, I felt I should relay to two things. One, the obvious: the widespread and growing antagonism toward the American adventure in the Middle East.
But it's my second observation that disturbs me most: The widespread and growing dislike of all things American on account of Washington's global approach. Even in Australia, long considered a reliable ally, the coalition government of Prime Minister John Howard, a conservative, is widely reviled and ridiculed for its support of the Bush foreign policy. The government has launched a multi-media campaign to recruit for its military -- the joke, told not so lightly, is that the military needs troops in order to fulfill Mr. Howard's commitments to President Bush for various peacekeeping missions. Needless to say, the recruitment drive is faltering. People ask: Why should Australians be dying for America in the Middle East?
In the Gulf, there is clear sentiment that the American adventure has gone horribly wrong -- and that the ruling elites of the region will, sooner rather than later, will pay the price for their explicit or implicit support of Washington's policies. The announcement that Qatar will send troops to join the UN peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon has been received less than enthusiastically. Of course, the historical and societal antipathy in Gulf countries toward Israel spills over to America because of its perceived status as Israel's main protector and benefactor. But I think that what we're seeing now in the Gulf is something much more ominous.