*{Brand America - Why the World Wants More . . . and Less of It [http://www.weforum.org/site/knowledgenavigator.nsf/Content/Brand+America+-+Why+the+World+Wants+More+.+.+.+and+Less+of+It?open&topic_id=300250000&theme_id=300]

            21.05.2002

            USA Meeting 2002}

            While the attacks of 11 September elicited an outpouring of support worldwide, US multilateral relations have largely returned to the status quo ante bellum, with sentiment against American strength and influence emerging across the globe. What are the roots of such resentment? What can be done about it? A panel, chaired by Bill Drozdiak, Executive Director, Transatlantic Center, German Marshall Fund of the United States, Belgium, representing various countries and perspectives, discussed the issue of America’s image problem.

            The Arab-Israeli conflict factors heavily into the Muslim world’s perception of America. HRH Prince Turki Al Faisal Al Saud, Chairman, King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies, Saudi Arabia, explained that, as American armaments are currently being used against the Palestinians, the Arab world views the United States increasingly "as a friend of its enemy." However, the current boycott "from Morocco all the way to Doha" of American products is a grassroots phenomenon, without any government sponsorship.

            He emphasized that the next peace steps needed to be taken by Israel, who sparked the current difficulties by allowing Sharon to go to al-Haram al-Sharif. "We have a peace plan that we have put on the table," he said of Crown Prince Abdullah’s proposal, "and we would like the Israelis to pick it up." Responding to criticism of official Saudi handling of anti-Semitism, he said that the kingdom unwaveringly condemns anti-Semitism, as "Jewish people are the people of the Book," along with Muslims and Christians.

            Morshed Khan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, criticized the perceived double standard that the United States applied to East Timor and Jenin. He argued that the most important values were neither American nor Muslim ideas but rather universal, "human values" such as "righteousness." Drozdiak challenged the notion that the entire world has the same definition of righteousness. 

            Gerard Baker, Chief US Commentator, The Financial Times, USA, drew a distinction between corporate, political and governmental "Brand Americas". While American corporations come in for much criticism from opponents of globalization, many more people express their opinions through their consumption of American brands. The objections to America’s political ideas - free markets and free societies - are few but not insignificant. Finally, the reaction against the Bush administration is particularly apparent in Europe, and distinctly pronounced when juxtaposed with the European embrace of his predecessor. 

            Despite such antagonistic feeling, said John B. Richardson, Ambassador and Head of Delegation of the European Commission to the United Nations, New York, most people in Europe recognize that they would not be where they are today without American help. "American values," Richardson argued, "became transatlantic values" in the last two decades of the 20th century. 

            Richard L. McGraw, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs, said that extremists of all types increasingly understand that globalization goes hand-in-hand with American values. However, just because the United States is the sole superpower does not mean that it defines one culture for the entire world.                 

                  *{Contributors:       Baker Gerard
                  Drozdiak William M.
                  McGraw Richard
                  Richardson John B.
                  Saud Turki Al Faisal}