Pew: Obama's Middle East Approval Lower Than George W. Bush's

Despite Barack Obama’s promises to salvage America’s reputation abroad from all the damage supposedly done by the Bush administration, a survey shows support for the United States in several Middle East countries has dipped below its level from George W. Bush’s final year in office.

According to the Pew Research Center’s Global Attitudes Project, “confidence in Obama” in Muslim countries such as Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Pakistan fell from 33% to 24% during his first term alone. Approval of his policies fell even further–from a high of 34% to the current low of 15%. 

Many of Obama’s first actions upon assuming office in 2009 aimed to bolster relations with Muslim countries. These included his infamous apology tour and the 2009 Cairo speech in which he pledged “mutual interest and mutual respect” between Americans and Muslims.