Americans seem to have forgotten; the vast majority of people in the ME

hate bush and hate us...thanks to bush.

We're talking 85-90% and more of the citizens of Turkey and Jordan and Kuwait and Saudi and Lebanon and Syria and Iran and Iraq and Palestine and Pakistan, etc.

They may hate their own governments -many of which are rightwing bush pals- but they hate bush (and us thanks to bush) just as much or more.

If the Saudi royal family goes...if Musharraf of Pakistan goes...then we can all bend over, grab our ankles, and kiss our asses buh bye.

So hey, great for the citizens who are overthrowing their hated governments! But if Americans think this is gonna be a good thing for Americans, they're in for one hell of a shock. And thank BUSH when that shock hits.

I was reading a 2003 article by RW pundit Michael Baron in US News today ( at the doctor's office) he said precisly the opposite re. Iraq
and Iran. He did quote a source, but it was forgettable and indeed, I've forgotten.

Is there any real valid data on public sentiment in the middle east? If so what and where is it?

Most the big polls do the ME and Europe sentiment;

Poll: Bush 'Biggest Threat to Justice and Peace'

http://www.twf.org/News/Y2002/1109-Poll.html

'SQUANDERED SYMPATHY'; Poll reveals world anger at Bush

http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,1328053,00.html

For the first time, statistics show world's dislike of Bush translating into dislike of Americans in general

http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1394393,00.html

Poll: Only 2% of Iraqis View the US as Liberators, 97% as Occupiers

http://www.independent-media.tv/item.cfm?fmedia_id=7752&fcategory_desc=Under%20Reported

A Year After Iraq War: Mistrust of America in Europe Ever Higher, Muslim Anger Persists

http://yaleglobal.yale.edu/article.print?id=3524

A rising anti-American tide

http://www.iht.com/articles/79166.html

US-SPONSORED POLL SHOWS WIDESPREAD ANTI-AMERICAN SENTIMENT

An opinion poll of Iraqis sponsored by the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) and carried out in mid-May has found that 92 percent of Iraqis surveyed consider the United States an occupying force and 54 percent of those surveyed said they believe all Americans behave in a manner similar to the behavior of U.S. soldiers depicted in the Abu Ghurayb prisoner-abuse photos.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/iraq/2004/06/06-19_index.htm

http://www.rferl.org/reports/iraq-report/2004/06/22-190604.asp

Opinion of US; Poll Finds Hostility Hardening

The survey, the largest of its kind, found slipping support for the U.S. war on terrorism in Europe and negative views of the United States in all foreign countries polled except Britain.

Majorities in all foreign countries said the war in Iraq hurt or had no effect on the war on terrorism, and only in the United States did a majority believe that the ouster of Saddam Hussein will make the Middle East more democratic.

At the same time, views of Bush were strikingly low in Europe and the Muslim countries. Only 14 percent of Germans, 15 percent of the French, 28 percent of Russians and 7 percent of Pakistanis viewed Bush favorably. Britons, 39 percent of whom viewed Bush favorably, had the most enthusiastic view among foreigners.

Views of the United States were somewhat higher, although Britain was the only country where a majority had a favorable impression.

http://www.archives2004.ghazali.net/html/opinion_of_us.html

Poll reveals Arabs' true feelings on US

The poll, Impressions of America, was commissioned by the Arab American Institute (AAI) and conducted in June by Zogby International. It surveyed nearly 3300 Arab citizens in Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Egypt.

In Egypt alone, 98% of those surveyed expressed a negative view of the US, a 22% increase from two years ago. The favourability rating was highest in Lebanon, where 20% said they had a positive view of the US and nearly 70% said otherwise.

http://www.fromallangles.com/America-in-the-eyes-of-world-media/pages/2004-07July/Poll-reveals-Arabs-true-feelings-on-US.htm

I have a bunch more links but I'm so bloody tired tonight. If you google along the lines of "opinion of US declines; 2005" you should be able to get the January polls; otherwise I'll try to remember to look them out tomorrow.

Wait, here's a couple more;

Arabs: It's the Policy, Stupid

"Favorable attitudes toward America have dropped precipitously over the past two years," said AAI Executive Director James Zogby, summing up the results.

In contrast to the Bush administration's insistence that U.S. "values" and political ideals are behind the hostility, the findings also show that the Arab populations of Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) see U.S. policies in the Middle East as by far the main factor in fostering the Arab world's growing antagonism toward Washington.

For least admired world leaders, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon swept the board in each country – with between 61 percent and 64 percent of respondents in each country, except Saudi Arabia (49 percent) volunteering his name.

Bush was the next most frequently mentioned – from 19 percent in UAE to 39 percent in Saudi Arabia.

http://www.mediamonitors.net/zogby49.html

It's Still the Policy, Stupid

Overall, favorable ratings for the US have declined in the past two years. In some countries, the change has been dramatic. In 2002 for example, 38% of Moroccans had a favorable view of the US. In 2004 only 11% held such a view. Similar results are in evidence in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Lebanon and Egypt. Even more disturbing is the fact that while Arab attitudes toward American values, people and products remain mostly favorable; these too have declined in the past two years.

http://www.aaiusa.org/wwatch/080904.htm

US standing with Arabs hits a low

http://csmonitor.com/2004/0902/p06s02-wome.html

discussion websites since before the war in Iraq, and from what i can see, the hostility toward the US is darn near universal. I've heard some of those rosy public opinion polls such as you mentioned, and i have a REALLY hard time believing them.