Poll: Bush unpopular in Britain
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Protests are expected when Bush visits Britain Nov. 19-21.
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LONDON, England (AP) -- Many people in Britain believe the international standing of the United States has suffered under President George W. Bush and dislike his handling of the situation in Iraq, according to an opinion poll published in London's Times newspaper.
Bush and his wife, Laura, will make a three-day state visit to Britain next week and will be the guests of Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace. Prime Minister Tony Blair has been Washington's closest ally in the war on terror and its main coalition partner in Iraq, but many Britons opposed the war to dislodge Saddam Hussein and have criticized Blair's strong relationship with Bush.
In a poll published in The Times Tuesday, 59 percent of respondents said America's standing in the world has diminished under Bush's presidency, while 60 percent disapproved of his handling of the situation in Iraq.
Forty-seven percent said Bush didn't seem up to the job of being U.S. President, while 40 percent believed Britain benefits from the close relationship between Bush and Blair.
Regarding the war in Iraq, 49 percent believed that military action was the wrong thing to do, while 37 percent believed the opposite.
Blair said Monday that he accepted many people were opposed to the war, but insisted they should support attempts to restore stability and order to Iraq.
He also conceded that Bush's November 19-21 visit would spark protests, but defended the U.S.-led coalition's efforts to bring democracy to the Middle Eastern nation.
"In eight days time, President Bush makes his state visit to the United Kingdom," Blair said in a foreign policy speech at the Lord Mayor of London's annual banquet. "For many the script of this visit has already been written. There will be demonstrations. His friends wonder at the timing, his enemies rub their hands at what they see as the potential embarrassment.
"I believe this is exactly the right time for the president of the United States to come."
Andrew Burgin, spokesman for the Stop the War Coalition, said the group hoped for 60,000 people to join an "Unwelcome Bush" march through central London November 20. In Trafalgar Square, the group plans to pull down a specially erected statue of Bush, the coalition's Web site said.
"Protest if you will, that is your democratic right," said Blair. "Attack the decision to go to war, though have the integrity to realize that without it, those Iraqis now tasting freedom would still be under the lash of Saddam, his sons and their henchmen."
The Populus polling agency interviewed 964 adults by telephone between Nov. 7-9 for The Times survey. The margin of error was 3 percentage points.
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