Nuggets from the Pew survey

The new Pew survey of global attitudes is full of interesting findings. Here is one that I think might be surprising. Respondents thought that the influence of China on their country is more positive than that of the United States in virtually all countries surveyed (South Africa and Mexico being the only exceptions). 

 

And note what has happened to opinions about the EU in Turkey:

which is not unrelated to the cartoon here.

Comments

[Justin Rietz]

Well, in some ways, perhaps Turkey is better off not being part of the EU. When I see the demands and restrictions the EU has put on the latest two entrants - Romania and Bulgaria - I realize how out of touch EU policy makers are with reality.

Outside of some cash infusions (most of which go into the pockets of well-connected businesses and officials, according to my "sources") Bulgaria hasn't gained much except huge, new recycle bins on the streets of Sofia and the inability to "do away" with stray dogs that roam in packs on the streets and occasionally attack people.

Perhaps I'm just cynical...

[ATS]

So long as our merry little ally keeps swiping land and invading whomever it chooses, we shall desperately need whatever culturally moslem friends we can get. Having Turkey in the EU would help--if it ever happens.

Yet no US candidate can say this. for two reasons:

1) the Israeli Lobby would bury the speaker.
2) Thanks to Bush, any US advocacy would doom the enterprise in the EU.