Does America's popularity abroad really matter?

In "Lonely at the Top," Joseph S. Nye, Jr. discusses the importance of soft power -- the ability of a nation to influence potential allies through attraction rather than coercion. Has declining global public opinion of the United States underminded our foreign policy effectiveness? Or is the Bush administration right to emphasize military strength and other forms of "hard power" in pursuit of its goals, whatever the rest of the world thinks?
Read the story: Lonely at the top
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Our homeland safety comes first. However I formerly enjoyed seeing the sights in other countries. I no longer feel safe in any country. I especially would not wear any clothing with reference to the USA, outside of our country. Our image is very poor in the eyes of other countries is extremely poor. Even the olympics, the US basketball teamis a good example, portrays a nation struck on itself.

jonny , chelsea

"Lonely At the Top"? Well, when you're the strongest at anything, isn't that how it is supposed to be? Should Microsoft care what it's neighboring competition thinks? NO!!! That's why they're the best at what they do. If the rest of the world cannot keep up with us, then tough!!! Just because the rest of the world has a supposed "declining" opinion of America does not mean we should ask them for permission to do ANYTHING. We're the strongest - it's that simple and the rest of the world is simply j-e-a-l-o-u-s. Dear Mr. France, do we have your permission to..... Dear Mr. Germany, can we please......Dear Mr. Europe, is it alright with you if we.... GIVE ME A BREAK!!! Remember, the rest of the world did not suffer 9/11 did they? Seems like the individual who wrote this article and others like him now view 9/11 as ancient history. That's unfortunate because we have a President who actually wants to do something about 9/11 and will never view 9/11 as ancient history.

Roger, Allston

We tried negotiation and appeasement for years under the clinton administration....boy did that work well....not really, huh? The question asked of foreigners in the article is how much the US "takes your interests into account"....who cares what they think...Here is my question: how much does Syria, Iraq, Iran, North Koria, France, Germany, Afganistan, UAE, Saudi Arabia and on and on and on take your interests into account?All they do is complain that we don't give them handouts. We already give more aid to the world than any other country, by a long shot...it has bought us nothing.

Brian Green, Reading

I have just one thing to say about world opinion " PAX AMERICAN."

Frances, New York

Maybe it wouldn't be so bad that our war in Iraq repulsed the entire world if a) we had found some actual evidence that Iraq actually had weapons of mass destruction, b) we could have *any* faith that our president didn't lie and connive to try to blame everything on Iraq when even *he* knew the war was wrong (I know, stuffy old people: "you shouldn't criticize a wartime president! After all, he is our leader!"), and c) this war did not send up red flags that soon we will be enmeshed in a clash of civilizations between Islam and Christianity, because both religions refuse to try to understand the other. How does forcefully and violently imposing our values on other cultures really help them? We could assist other countries in building democracy in other ways.... now the entire world of Islam hates us and extremists will aim their jihad more directly at us than ever before, *and* the world of Christianity has very little sympathy for us in that respect because we just look like a bunch of brutes and bullies. I absolutely love America, but you have to be able to criticize what you love. Even if September 11th is supposed to make us all blindly patriotic. Even if Bush is a wartime president. Even if it makes me un-American.

Julia, The Fenway

Then why is the administration ducking the 9/11 commission Roger?

Tom, Norton

The way the International commumity thinks of us not only matters, it is of vital importance. We LIVE in this world, and its parts interact with us every day. After 9/11 there was a tremendous outpouring of sympathy - we have pretty much blown that way. Our government has show itself gratuitously insulting and unbelievably arrogant. We will pay for this for decades.

Shirley, Pittsfield, NH

It amazes me how many people still blindly follow and defend Bush's administration and what we have done to the world in the last year. I can't believe that people still support a war that we were never given a real reason for. Wake up people! Anyone who doesn't care what the rest of the world thinks of us, shows their true ignorance. Of course these are probably the same people who have probably never left the country ever. Alot of people are saying that as long as we are doing what 's right then we don't need to be popular.Try explaining how "right" we were to go to Iraq to the mother or wife of a soldier who will never get to see that person again. Go to them and tell them how "just" this war was. Or better yet, those of you who call the Spanish cowards, why don't you talk to the wives, husbands, children and parents who lost 190 people that day all for a war they never supported in the first place. It's all about selfish leaders (Bush) using innocent people to do their bidding. Just like Kristen from Boston said - this war was about oil. Everyone likes to talk about freedom, but it's funny how a year ago anyone who opposed this war was branded un-patriotic. Is that freedom? And any country who didn't blindly follow along was bashed. So being bashed for standing up for what you believe inis freedom? Seriously, Americans really need to open their eyes. If we keep going the way we're going, we're not going to be a "superpower" for too much longer. But maybe that's what alot of you need - you need to feel what it's like when you're not at the top anymore, maybe then you'll understand what the rest of the world feels like. It's a big world out there - you can't ignore it...

Rita, Framingham

We make billions and billions off economic slaves in the third world and then we project an image to the rest of the world that you can have it all here in America but not where you are, tough luck. We project Bill O'Reilly who despite his best points communicates an aggresive angry vibration beneath his words. My conclusion is that some day world hawks will come home to roost unless this is changed.

Tekwizad, Brighton

Earth to Brian - kind of silly dragging Clinton into this don't you think? Bush & Co. had been in office for 8 months when 9/11 happened and from the sounds of things they had their heads in the sand when it came to terrorism. If you think negotiating didn't work to well I guess you think the current mess in Iraq is going smoothly? Hardly.

Manuel, Whitinsville