WASHINGTON - The United States could improve its negative image among Muslim nations with cooperation and foreign aid, a Washington think-tank said Thursday.
"Focus groups in Egypt, Indonesia and Morocco show (that) better communications could change opinions and reduce widespread anti Americanism," concluded a report by the Council on Foreign Affairs.
"Change will require listening more, a humbler tone and focusing on bilateral aid and partnership, while tolerating disagreements on controversial policy issues," according to study authors Craig Charney and Nicole Yakatan of Charney Research.
"Rather than trying -- and failing -- to persuade Muslims to support American policies in Iraq or Palestine," the group said of the report, "The United States should publicize its significant development aid to their lands, which, despite soaring aid budgets, is almost invisible to them."
"Reports on (regional Arabic) television networks largely hostile to the United States are Muslims' main source of information," the council said of the study.
"US government-sponsored media (Alhurra and Radio Sawa) have little impact in the region."
"America currently has a window of opportunity to change Muslim attitudes," the council said in a statement.
"Positive impressions about tsunami relief efforts in Indonesia, Iraq's recent election and new Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts are providing the second Bush administration a chance for a fresh start," the group said.
05/19/2005 20:22 GMT