Moscow, August 26 (UNI/Sputnik): Favourable sentiments about the US have plummeted in seven out of 14 countries surveyed regarding America’s “messy” exit from Afghanistan, a new Morning Consult poll revealed on Thursday.
“One of the largest hits to the United States’ reputation came among residents of the United Kingdom – a country that contributed mightily to the U.S.-led war effort for the past 20 years and has pushed back on the hasty withdrawal,” the findings said.
According to the poll, conducted between August 14-24, the net favourability rating of the US dropped 10 percentage points in the UK, with 39% of British holding an unfavourable view of the United States, against 42% with a favourable one.
China comes in with a drop of 11 percentage points. Approximately 77% have an unfavourable view of America’s actions in Afghanistan, while 18% feel the opposite.
The reputation of the US also fell in Italy (by 9 percentage points), Japan and Brazil (-8), Spain (-7), Russia (-6), Germany, India and Mexico (-3), as well as Australia (-1).
“Favourable views about the United States improved slightly in France since the fall of Kabul, where half of adults view the country positively despite pressure on [US President Joe] Biden from French President Emmanuel Macron to extend the withdrawal deadline,” the poll read.
Biden’s administration has been facing criticism for the withdrawal from Afghanistan and the subsequent mass evacuation crisis caused by the Taliban (designated terrorist by the UN and Russia) takeover on August 15. A Hill-Harris poll revealed earlier this week that the president’s approval rating has dropped by six points to 49%.
