Now why doesn't that come as a surprise?

Reuters reports today:

"The image of the United States has deteriorated around the world in the past year because of issues such as Iraq and prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, according to a poll by the BBC World Service released on Tuesday.

The proportion of people believing the United States has a mainly positive influence in world affairs dropped seven points from a year ago -- to 29 percent from 36, the results from 18 countries that were also polled the previous year showed.

Fifty-two percent thought U.S. influence was mainly negative, up from 47 percent a year ago, the poll found.

The survey, released on the day President George W. Bush gives his State of the Union speech to Congress, found sharp disagreement with U.S. policy on Iraq which is ravaged by violence nearly four years after the U.S.-led invasion."

Does George Bush and his cohorts get it? No way! His view, blinkered and ignorant, is that history will judge his actions as having been the correct ones. Meanwhile, even if it's down to Laura and Barney, his dog, who support him, he will carry on regardless with what he believes is right. Oh dear!

What can't be overlooked for Australians in all of this is that John Howard has steadfastly nailed his flag to the mast in being a fully-fledged supporter of the US - no questions asked. They might increasingly be seen as not having been a smart move.

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