Americans see a US in decline, finds Pew survey

backseatLover12

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-25193054

For the first time in 40 years, a majority of Americans say the US plays a less important and powerful role in the world than it did a decade ago.

The Pew survey also found that 70% of Americans saw the US as less respected than in the past, nearly the same (71%) as under President George W Bush.

More than half of Americans (52%) - for the first time in 50 years - said the US should "mind its own business".

Some 56% disapproved of President Barack Obama's foreign policy.

Fifty-three percent of the public felt the US played a less important or powerful role as a world leader than a decade previously. The last time more than half of the public held that view was in 1974.

A decade ago, just 20% of Americans felt the same way.

International disengagement
In Tuesday's survey, only 17% of Americans said the US had a more important or powerful role in world affairs than 10 years ago.

Republicans were more likely to view the US as having declined in influence - 74% of them thought so. But 55% of independents said the same thing, up from 23% in 2004.

The survey also showed support for a less active US in world affairs. Some 51% of respondents said the US does "too much" to solve world problems.

Fifty-three percent of Republicans, 46% of Democrats and 55% of independents said the US should mind its own business.

The public also thought the US should be less engaged internationally.

A plurality of respondents (39%) believed the US should be less involved in seeking to resolve the Israel-Palestinian conflict.

Republicans were more likely to view the US as having declined in influence - 74% of them thought so. But 55% of independents said the same thing, up from 23% in 2004.

The survey also showed support for a less active US in world affairs. Some 51% of respondents said the US does "too much" to solve world problems.

Fifty-three percent of Republicans, 46% of Democrats and 55% of independents said the US should mind its own business.

The public also thought the US should be less engaged internationally.

A plurality of respondents (39%) believed the US should be less involved in seeking to resolve the Israel-Palestinian conflict.

The survey of the general public was conducted between 30 October and 6 November among 2,003 adults, said Pew Research Center.

Cosmo

We really need to re-think our foriegn policy that looks out for 'America's Best Interests'... in other people's homeland. We should probably focus on our fucked up, dysfunctional selves before we go around telling other people what they need to do.
...
We should have started that line of thinking in 1964.

gimmesometruth27

yeah since when to politicians and policymakers actually pay attention to polls and what the american people want?

Byrnzie

I.e, Republicans require their government to wage another war somewhere, so that they can beat their chests and feel good about themselves.

Byrnzie

'A plurality of respondents (39%) believed the US should be less involved in seeking to resolve the Israel-Palestinian conflict.'



Really? Is that what they've been doing all these years? Trying to resolve the Israel-Palestine conflict by standing alone in the World in vetoing every single U.N resolution critical of Israel, and by vetoing every single resolution calling for a peaceful settlement of the conflict?

brianlux

The problem with listening to what the majority of Americans think is that the majority of Americans don't really do all that much thinking these days. I mean, do they? :-|

backseatLover12

brianlux wrote:

The problem with listening to what the majority of Americans think is that the majority of Americans don't really do all that much thinking these days. I mean, do they? :-|

Probably not!

know1

I think it's definitely in decline....but I think the Americans themselves are the most responsible for that decline.