James Zogby: US Popularity in Arab Nations Plummets Under Obama

Tuesday, 12 Jul 2011 10:33 PM
By David A. Patten

Arab approval of the United States in the Middle East has plummeted so drastically that it now is lower than it was during the presidency of George W. Bush, according to a startling new survey.

The poll of over 4,000 citizens in six Arab nations -- Morocco, Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates -- shows the favorability rating of the United States dropping precipitously in four of them.

U.S. favorability has increased by 2 points in Lebanon and 17 points in Saudi Arabia since the Bush era. But those were the only nations where U.S. favorability is now higher.

The survey was conducted by Zogby International on behalf of the Arab-American Institute (AAI) Foundation.

AAI founder and President James Zogby tells Newsmax the results reflect Arabs’ profound disappointment that the high hopes raised by President Barack Obama in his June 2009 speech at Cairo University were dashed.

“Expectations raised, and not met,â€