Why do saudis hate america

Thousands of others have come for tourism or medical treatment. Members of the Saudi Student Organization at the University of Evansville in Indiana express their condolences to the victims of the Boston bombing. The overwhelming majority of Saudis who have visited or lived in the US have not committed any crimes or acts of violence and many, in fact, speak fondly of their time in the States.

They rave about the kindness of the American family that hosted them, or the university professor who inspired them or the neighbor who learned a few phrases of Arabic just to make them feel at home. An increasing number of Saudis also praise the high premium Americans put on a strong work ethic, ingenuity, equality of opportunity, and their religious and ethnic diversity. In addition to inflicting unbearable pain and suffering on thousands of Americans, they also brought shame to thousands of Saudis who consider the US their second home, and to millions of their countrymen back in the Kingdom.

Nevertheless, it would be inaccurate to say that no Saudis harbor ill will toward the United States. Those of us who know the Middle East are familiar with a dominant narrative that strongly influences the political socialization process that many — though not all — Arabs undergo across much of the region.

It portrays the United States as a violent empire founded on the remains of native Americans and with the sweat and blood of African slaves. It also characterizes the US as the main benefactor of Israel, which stole the land from Palestinians, expelled them from their homes and has subjugated them ever since.

It is this element in particular that colors how many Arabs — not just Saudis — see the United States. Global Image. See also: Our Global Indicators Database lets you explore public opinion in countries around the world on a range of issues and attitudes. Share this link:. Bruce Stokes is a former director of global economic attitudes at Pew Research Center.

Facts are more important than ever. Bush presidency. Despite rocky diplomatic relations, Venezuelan public prefers U.

Topics U. Global Image Global Image of Countries. In the s, there was the sending of U. As soon as all U. There was the Persian Gulf War, waged without the constitutionally required congressional declaration of war, where thousands of Iraqis were killed or injured.

That was followed by a decade of brutal sanctions against Iraq, which contributed to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Iraqi children. Thus, when Ramzi Yousef, one of the terrorists who tried to bring down the World Trade Center with a bomb in , appeared before a federal judge for sentencing, he angrily told the judge that it was U.

Osama bin Laden was not Hitler. They are not seeking to defend a single city like Berlin. In fact, many scholars are beginning to call it the long war. I am afraid that it is simply going to be part of life in the 21st century. Denison, who founded the Denison Forum on Truth and Culture in , suggests the United States continue to build relationships with moderate Muslim nations, encourage democracy in the world, promote economic progress in the Muslim world, help negotiate peace in the Middle East, and remain vigilant against terrorist threats.

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