| e offer you a non-american perspective on this year's | | | | the only European who feels that the behavior of US |
| US election race between Barack Obama and John | | | | leadership in last decade has been really bad and has |
| McCain. In this short article I want to explain to you - | | | | made the world more dangerous place. Unwise |
| especially you, dear readers and friends from the US - | | | | moves and oil-hunger-driven wars, a great lack of |
| why many Europeans such as me (and many other | | | | understanding of the mindset of the people whom US |
| non-americans too) feel that Barack Obama would be | | | | operations were supposed to help (like Iraqis or |
| a much better option for the US president than John | | | | Afgans etc.) and turning a blind eye towards the |
| McCain. | | | | regimes like Saudi Arabian or Pakistani, who happen to |
| As I offer this perspective, I want you to have in mind | | | | suit America's interests - all this has undermined the |
| that I have never lived in the US, I don't feel the | | | | fair amount of trust US have once enjoyed, also in |
| economic problems of US personally (however | | | | Europe. |
| interdependent the world has become, this has not | | | | The situation has left the world hoping for a significant |
| influenced my life in any significant way yet), I am | | | | change in the White House. Those who speculate and |
| enjoying a universal health care (currently, in England) | | | | make theories out of Barack Obama's middle name |
| and I am not writing this particular piece out of my | | | | never seem to get it: this Muslim-sounding name could |
| sympathy for many Americans who suffer problems | | | | actually reduce the number of the terrorist threats to |
| because of bad US economy or the high costs of | | | | USA, although all "Muslim theories" about this name are |
| health care. | | | | complete nonsense. And another seemingly superficial |
| What I want to talk about is the image of US in the | | | | thing is significant as well: If Barack Obama will |
| world and how electing Barack Obama would help to | | | | become president, the color of the president's skin will |
| correct that image. It is very clear that, during the last | | | | speak to many around the world about the victory |
| decade, this image eroded to its lowest point (possibly | | | | over racism in USA (whether it would be true or not). |
| in the whole history of US!) all over the world. America | | | | Remember: public perception of the president (at |
| has never before been perceived in such an | | | | home but very much so also around the world) is |
| unfavorable light. Several American friends of mine | | | | hugely important factor for the success of his country |
| have a hard time to even grasp how unloved their | | | | on many fronts, even if he makes mistakes. Kennedy |
| beloved country has become. Majority of the world | | | | was - at his beginning at least - very popular in Europe |
| has a grim picture of the US, said Steven Kull, director | | | | and around the World also because of his youth and |
| of the Program on International Policy Attitudes (PIPA) | | | | charming personality. And there can be no serious |
| when he was commenting the large international poll | | | | discussion about public perceptions of Barack Obama |
| for BBC. "Negative feelings about Bush are high and | | | | vs. John McCain in the world: Barack is doing much |
| are generalizing to the American people who | | | | better! Even in Israel , he "leads" the republican |
| re-elected him", worries Kull. | | | | candidate by a big margin. This alone is hugely |
| Of course, this perception is much worse in the Muslim | | | | important even if Barack Obama's political program |
| world than in Europe, and it produces a deep | | | | would be up for grabs. But it isn't. |
| motivation to fight against US and its allies. But I am not | | | | |