PAKISTANI OPINION - AT 5:44 P.M. ET:  Are we making progress winning the "hearts and minds" of Pakistanis, whose country sits on a nuclear arsenal.  With a Muslim-friendly president, you'd think so.  But consider:

Pakistani views of al-Qaeda and the Taliban have shifted markedly since last year, with unfavorable opinions doubling to about two-thirds of those surveyed in a new Pew Research Center poll.

Condemnation of extremists did not coincide with a more favorable view of the United States, held by only 16 percent of the Pakistanis surveyed. Only 13 percent said they had confidence in President Obama, a stark contrast to his overwhelming popularity in much of the rest of the world. A hefty 64 percent said they regard the United States as an enemy of Pakistan.

Why the negatives toward America, even with The One in the White House?  Well, that's what people are being told.  By whom?  By the media?  By the Muslim clergy.  It's understandable that unfavorable views of the Taliban and al-Qaeda would grow, as Pakistanis see what they do firsthand.  But news about America is filtered, and it will be very hard, if not impossible, for us to change that.  Guess it wasn't all BUSH (!!) after all.

August 13, 2009