Why the dislike for America is so great?

It is an open secret, anti-American tendencies are gaining steam all over the world. They are quite evidently caused by too pushing foreign policy of Washington.

The world, probably except for radical Islamic extremists, felt sympathetic toward the USA after the Sept.11 tragedy. As a result of the sympathy, the White House won incredible support to its plans on anti-terrorism struggle. This made for a rapid launching of an offensive against al-Qaeda in Afghanistan. Due to the universal support, countries neighboring Afghanistan agreed to deploy contingents of the USA and its NATO allies on their territories. Ruling regimes of those countries expected to get moneyed assistance from the USA and support in the struggle against local radicals posing a great threat to the ruling regimes. In fact, the US Army has turned into a strong support to the authoritarian regimes in the countries neighboring Afghanistan.

As the USA proceeds with its anti-terrorism struggle, anti-American attitudes are ever gaining steam. Attempts of Washington to deal with disagreeable countries under the guise of a war against bin Laden and al-Qaeda caused a strong waive of criticism toward American policy. Such attitudes are strong not only in pariah countries (the definition is very insulting by the way), but even among US’s allies in NATO. The White House often tries to settle its political and economic problems under the guise of fighting against terrorism. The situation in Iraq can serve an example in this case: entry is banned to the country rich of oil for US companies. If Hussein is overthrown, the situation is likely to change drastically. However,  oil producing companies from other countries will have to leave Iraq in this case.

The rest of the world is very much indignant at the  fact that the USA enjoys its status of a super-power and takes decisions contradicting norms of the international law. Even opinions of the US allies are often ignored at that, they are just presented with a fait accompli. However, the White House and the US Department of State criticize domestic policies of other countries, and become angry when the same is done toward the USA.  What is strange, US media that are bragging so much of their freedom, support the same line as the White House and the US Department of State. Popular American TV channels will hardly demonstrate unbiased videos about victims of bombings in Afghanistan. If some are still demonstrated, number of the Sept.11 tragedy victims is surely to be mentioned at that as well. It is nonsense! Are American pilots bombing peaceful Afghan settlements better that al-Qaeda terrorists blasting skyscrapers? Innocent people fell victims in both cases.

The US Government is perfectly aware of the anti-American attitudes in the world, and the problem is being considered there. Is Washington able to settle this problem?

A special conference with participation of American and international experts is to be held in the US Department of State in Washington on September 5-6. The conference organized on the initiative of the US Government will touch upon causes of anti-Americanism all over the world. A RIA Novosti journalist reports, spokesman for the US Department of State  Richard Boucher told journalists about the conference.  Twenty leading experts from the USA and foreign countries, about 50 officials from US governmental institutions will take part in the conference.

In Boucher’s words, the US Department of State already investigated causes of the anti-American attitudes in Europe, Russia and Muslim countries, the upcoming conference is to become a culmination of the project. Manifestations and causes of the anti-American attitudes in the world are to be studied at the conference. This is to be a closed conference, the list of participants can’t be published.

It is hard to predict so far what conclusions the conference will reach, and whether effective methods to stop increase of the anti-American attitudes can be found. Results of the conference can be appreciated within several next years. Washington won’t be able to settle the problem by financing regimes loyal to it and by strong propagation only. It is time for Washington to understand that there is not only the USA but also other countries, which shouldn’t be evaluated by American standards.

Vasily Bubnov
PRAVDA.Ru