Source: World Public Opinion, 24 April 2007, 14:00 GMT
Contact: Steven Kull, 202-232-7500
College Park, MD—A poll of four major Muslim countries has found that in all of them large majorities believe that undermining Islam is a primary goal of US foreign policy. Most inhabitants from these countries want US military forces out of the Middle East.
Many support expanding the role of Islam in all of the countries polled, through such measures as the adoption of sharia (Islamic law). They do not necessarily want to cuto off their societies from outside influences. Most view globalization positively and favor democracy and freedom of religion.
These findings are from surveys in Egypt, Morocco, Pakistan, and Indonesia conducted from December 2006 to February, 2007 by WorldPublicOpinion.org with support from the START Consortium at the University of Maryland.
Large majorities across all four countries believe the United States seeks to “weaken and divide the Islamic world.” On average ,79 percent say they perceive this as a US goal, ranging from 73 percent in Indonesia and Pakistan to 92 percent in Egypt. Equally large numbers perceive that the United States is trying to maintain “control over the oil resources of the Middle East” (average 79%). Strong majorities (average 64%) even believe it is a US goal to “spread Christianity in the region.”
Steven Kull, editor of WorldPublicOpinion.org comments, “While US leaders may frame the conflict as a war on terrorism, people in the Islamic world clearly perceive the US as being at war with Islam.”
Consistent with this concern, large majorities in all countries (average 74%) support the goal of getting the United States to “remove its bases and military forces from all Islamic countries,” ranging from 64 percent in Indonesia to 92 percent in Egypt. [more]
To download the whole report, please click here.
The Islamic Workplace 
Posted on April 24, 2007
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