The Pro-Americans

OpinionJournal.com has an op-ed by two members of the advisory board of a group called Terror Free Tomorrow (a number of 9-11 commission members are involved, but rest assured the intelligence community is not mentioned). Interesting polling numbers out of Pakistan and elsewhere in the Muslim world. It seems Americans aren't really hated anymore. A poll carried out by TFT and AC Nielson Pakistan shows the effects of what a little humanitarianism can do.

In the first poll in Pakistan since the earthquake of October 8, 2005, Pakistanis now hold a more favorable opinion of the United States than at any time since 9/11, while support for Al Qaeda in its home base has dropped to its lowest level since then. The direct cause for this dramatic shift in Muslim opinion is clear: American humanitarian assistance for Pakistani earthquake victims.

The increase in the favorable opinion of America isn't just a one-off result of assistance in recovery efforts, as that does nothing to explain the dramatic drop in support for al Qaeda and suicide bombing. What's more likely is that the presence of the American military in the earthquake zone has caused some Pakistanis to concede that just possibly Americans weren't the infidels that they had previously assumed us to be. Before, radical clerics in madrassas were proclaiming America to the the Great Satan. Now, however, it's the previously maligned American military helping them recover bodies of their loved ones and find a way to survive in the wake of the earthquake. Odd, that. Here's what the poll found (emphasis mine):

Key Findings of the Poll:

• 73% of Pakistanis surveyed in November 2005 now believe suicide terrorist attacks are never justified, up from 46% just last May.
• Support for Osama Bin Laden has declined significantly (51% favorable in May 2005 to just 33% in November), while those who oppose him rose over the same period from 23% to 41%.
• US favorability among Pakistanis has doubled from 23% in May to more than 46% now, while the percentage of Pakistanis with very unfavorable views declined from 48% to 28%.
• For the first time since 9/11, more Pakistanis are now favorable to the United States than unfavorable.
• 78% of Pakistanis have a more favorable opinion of the United States because of the American response to the earthquake, with the strongest support among those under 35.
• 79% of those with confidence in Bin Laden now have a more favorable view of the US because of American earthquake aid.
• 81% said that earthquake relief was important for them in forming their overall opinion of the United States.
• The United States fared better in Pakistani public opinion than both other Western countries and radical Islamist groups.
• While opinion of the United States itself improved significantly, this did not translate into increased support for US-led efforts to fight terrorism. Tellingly, those who oppose US efforts against terrorism grew, from 52% in May to 64% now

TFT's website has lots of additional information on favorable opinions of America among Indonesians and Palestinians as well.