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by keeping a place like Guantanamo open and creating things like the military commission."

These unpopular policies appear to be aimed at, almost exclusively, Muslims and Muslim nations. America's War on Terror' is perceived by many on both sides as a war on Islam and has led to what has been termed as a clash of civilizations' (Chomsky 2004). If moderate Muslims feel under attack from the United States then this will foster further anti-American sentiment. United Kingdom think tank DEMOS' published a report called Bringing it Home - Community-based approaches to counter-terrorism (2006, p.13): "Muslim communities suffer some of the worst indicators of deprivation, discrimination and social exclusion, and many are deeply unhappy about aspects of the government's foreign policy towards the Islamic world, which they feel constitutes a war on Islam'. Cheap international travel, satellite television and continuing links to family and friends in countries of origin provide a vital bridge between these personal and global grievances. "

Furthermore anti-American sentiment can be transformed into violent hate by religious leaders with more ideological aims. It may be in a leader's interest to encourage such anti-American views; "Exaggerating real or imaginary threats from abroad in order to serve domestic political purposes has been in the playbook of countless leaders since antiquity" (Holsti 2008, Ch 5). Anti-American sentiment in Muslim communities can be religiously motivated, but it can also be a result of a perceived attack upon their faith.

Much of the current Anti-American sentiment may disappear with the demise of the current administration. The principal policies which are the cause of mainstream anti-American sentiment globally are almost exclusively a result of the Bush Doctrine. Tim Buthe: "The data suggests that, at least in Western democracies, many have long differentiated between the Bush administration and "America"-and that the distinction declined after the 2004 election, which suggests that it may be based in a quite good understanding of democratic politics."

In fact 75% of Canadians felt less favorably toward the US due to the re-election of George Bush. Stephen Clarkson: "recent attitudes in Canada, which may be seen as anti-American in the US are, pretty clearly, a response to the Supreme Court's appointing the most radical Administration with which it has been Canada's challenge to have to deal" President George Walker Bush has been the cause of much of the recent anti-American sentiment not only in the West, but in Muslim nations as well. Figures show that the majority of those who harbor an unfavorable view of the US worldwide see George Bush as the primary problem (Speulda 2005, p. 5).

The actual strength of global resentment towards George W. Bush, his administration and his policies will only be truly recognized after the 2008 election. However, the administration's policies will still linger and the damage to America's image may be difficult to undo; William Chafe (PC 2007): "There is also an underlying question about American hegemony and whether Americans have the right to presume the authority to tell other countries what to do, to refuse to sign the Kyoto Accords, to reject EU initiatives on global warming, and most importantly, to fail to distinguish between peaceful Islamicists, and those who are out to destroy the West."

Learn more about this author, Ben Winsor.
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