A new polling analysis from Gallup shows that as President Obama prepares to tour the Middle East, the Arab world now has significantly higher approval of the U.S. leadership than they did last year under George W. Bush — though it’s still far from being a thumbs-up.
In Egypt, the approval rating of the American leadership rating last year was only six percent, to 74% disapproval — a number that has now gone up to 25%-52%. Saudi Arabia has gone from 12%-81% last to 29%-52% now; and Syria from 4%-91% to 15%-71%, among others.
It hasn’t been all positive, though. In the Palestinian Territories — which have seen a lot of political strife thanks to the recent war with Israel — things have gone from 13%-81% to 7%-80%.
From the pollster’s analysis: “Gallup Polls show that Obama will deliver his message Thursday with an arguably stronger basis of support than his predecessor ever had in many Arab countries. Nonetheless, approval remains low and underscores the work that remains as Obama seeks to pave a new, more positive way forward.”
