Irish believe US world peace role is positive

ONLY three countries in Europe believe America plays a positive role in world peace. Ireland is one of them.

The latest survey of citizen’s attitudes across the EU released in Brussels yesterday shows little sympathy for the US and a lot of criticism.

Ireland overall is its best supporter, but when it came to questions of protecting the environment and fighting world poverty, even the Irish were not impressed.

The only area where the US is held in regard by Europe’s citizens is in its fight against terrorism, where just over half those questioned believed they were doing well.

Even the French and Germans, who are most strongly opposed to the US-led attempt to remove Saddam Hussein, were in favour of its war against terrorism.

This was the first time people were asked to comment on the US for the twice-yearly survey of attitudes carried out by the European Commission throughout the 15 member states.

The questions were asked towards the end of October, before the campaign against the war in Iraq swung into action.

On questions of the US contribution to world peace, the British were the most positive, followed by the Irish and the Italians. But even in Ireland the public was divided with 43% saying the US makes a good contribution and 39% saying it does not.

A majority of Irish supported the US war on terrorism but not as many as in Britain, Denmark and Germany.

Ireland was the US’s number one fan in the EU on the role of America in the growth of the world economy. This is not surprising given the proportion of Irish jobs reliant on US companies.

The Irish also have the best opinion of the US in the fight against poverty in the world and in the protection of the environment at 34% and 31%, compared to the EU average of 20% and 16%.

But even in these two areas the majority of the Irish was critical.

This probably reflects the US’s refusal sign the Kyoto agreement on emissions and that the EU is the single largest contributor of unconditional aid to the third world.

Commenting on the results, Professor Richard Sinnott of University College Dublin, who put together the Irish section of the report, said: “It is clear that Irish public opinion occupies quite a distinct position among the member states of the European Union”.

The Greeks tended to have the worst opinion of the Americans, with a massive 73% condemning the US for their negative contribution to world peace. Almost 60% were against its war on terrorism and they differed with the rest of Europe in believing the US played a negative role in the growth of the world economy