By Rick Newman | The Exchange – 10
Who loves ya, baby? If you’re the United States of America, the answer is fewer and fewer people around the world.
In Britain, France, Germany and nearly a dozen other prominent nations, the percentage of people with a favorable view of the United States has declined over the last decade, according to a new global survey by the Pew Research Center. That trend has been apparent since the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq, which was highly unpopular in many countries. The 2008 financial meltdown marked another slip in America’s reputation, as many people blamed Wall Street for a global recession that still weighs on the world economy. Controversial drone strikes aimed at terrorists and childish political antics in Washington continue to mar America’s image abroad.
Some nations still have a soft spot for the U.S., however. Of 39 nations where Pew conducted surveys, here are the 10 where people have the most favorable impression of the U.S.
1. Philippines (percentage with a favorable view of the United States: 85%)
2. Israel (83%)
3. Ghana (83%)
4. Senegal (81%)
5. Kenya (81%)
6. El Salvador (79%)
7. South Korea (78%)
8. Italy (76%)
9. Uganda (73%)
10. Brazil (73%)
America’s popularity in the Philippines suggests Uncle Sam isn’t the exploitative quasicolonial power some critics claim it is. There's been a strong history of military and economic cooperation between the two nations since the Philippines became independent in 1946, including substantial U.S. aid to the archipelago. The Philippines also has territorial disputes with China, which could bind it even more closely to the United States.