MIDDLE EAST: Michael Jansenreports on a poll that reveals several Islamic countries think the US is waging war on their beliefs
An in-depth poll carried out in four populous Muslim countries shows the West may well have lost the battle for the good opinion of Muslims.
The 24-page report on the results, Muslim Public Opinion on US Policy, Attacks on Civilians and al-Qaeda, reveals that large majorities in Indonesia, Egypt, Morocco and Pakistan have a negative view of the US government and 79 per cent of respondents believes the US wants to "weaken and divide the Islamic world" to "achieve political and military domination and to control Middle East resources".
A majority also believes that the US is trying to "spread Christianity in the region".
Steven Kull, editor of polling organisation World Public Opinion.org, stated, "While US leaders may frame the conflict [ between Muslims and the West] as a war on terrorism, people in the Islamic world clearly perceive the US as being at war with Islam."
Ninety-two per cent of Egyptians, 72 per cent of Moroccans, 71 per cent of Pakistanis and 64 per cent of Indonesians want the US to withdraw forces from Muslim countries. An average of 50 per cent favours attacks on US troops in Afghanistan, Iraq and the Gulf. However, 84 per cent of Indonesians, 81 per cent of Pakis- tanis, 77 per cent of Egyptians and 57 per cent of Moroccans say that attacks on US civilians are "weakly justified".
Respondents also express disapproval of violence against civilians. Strong majorities in Egypt, Indonesia, and Morocco argue that groups which do "are violating the principles of Islam".
Pakistanis are divided. However, 75 per cent do not believe al-Qaeda was responsible for the September 11th attacks on the US and substantial majorities approve of al-Qaeda's call to "stand up to Americans and affirm the dignity of the Islamic people".
Large majorities also want the role of Islam to expand in their societies and favour Sharia law and measures designed to "keep western values out of Islamic countries". Two-thirds would support the unification of Muslim countries into a "single Islamic state or caliphate".
Nevertheless, 75 per cent overall want to cultivate contacts with the wider world, 67 per cent agree democracy is a good system, and 82 per cent say there should be freedom of religion.
The surveys were carried out between December 2006 and February 2007.
The number of respondents were 1,000 each in Morocco and Egypt, 1,141 in Indonesia and 1,243 in Pakistan.