Letter to the Editor
The article "Cry, the Derided Country: A Friendliness Index for a Lonely America" (RAND Review, Spring 2002) describes a project of Vladimir Shlapentokh, of Michigan State University, to assess the friendliness of various groups in different countries toward the United States. The project will attempt to answer the question, "Why do they hate us so much?"The main cause is the U.S. Middle East policy, which has alienated the Muslim world and triggered anti-Semitism in Europe. It has been interesting to see how even Tony Blair has to equivocate to defend this U.S. policy. The latest blip has been the demand by President Bush that [Palestinian Chairman Yasser] Arafat be replaced. If Arafat is reelected, Bush and the United States will be left in an awkward position.
The friendliness survey is far from complete, but the RAND Review summary has one surprising item. While England is the most favorable in Europe, Greece and Spain are the most hostile. Greece one can understand; it is the result of U.S. support for its NATO ally, Turkey. But Spain? There would seem to be two causes. The United States views Latin America as its backyard and acts accordingly, with no regard for Spain's promotion of an Iberian union to preserve its historic links with the area. Spain hopes to serve as a bridge between Iberoamerica and the European Union. The second reason is the heavy hand of the United States in the Arab world, with which Spain feels it has a special link.
Ronald Hilton |