A 2007 British Broadcasting Corp. survey in which people around the world were asked to rate 12 major countries in terms of their positive and negative influence revealed that America's negative rating (51 percent) was third worst, between "axis of evil" members Iran and North Korea.
As to those who say they don't care what foreigners think - or worse, who seem to wear anti-Americanism, whether deriving from Paris or Karachi or Addis Ababa, as some sort of badge of honor - this is a myopic and dangerous way to look at the world.
The fact is, the U.S. must thaw the chilling effect of the Bush years. Our security depends on it; our markets do, too.
Because reputations are easy to destroy but difficult to rehabilitate, an Obama victory this November will not be a panacea. But it may provide the United States a chance for a fresh start - a reason for nations that not long ago respected America because it set an example for the world to renew their beliefs in the world's lone remaining superpower.
For citizens of the world who are familiar with the sight of our Golden Arches or the sound Windows XP makes when they boot their Dell laptops, Mr. Obama is an emerging global icon. And, with apologies for commodifying him, he may yet prove to be America's next great export.
Thomas F. Schaller teaches political science at UMBC. His column appears regularly in The Sun. His e-mail is schaller67@gmail.com.
