After the events of September 11, 2001, American research centers began to pay attention to the study of public opinion in Islamic countries, and warned of the danger of American decision-makers ignoring the trends of the masses in the Middle East. American.

One of the most important scientific institutions that began to pay attention to the study of public opinion in Islamic countries was the International Gallup Institute, an analysis and consulting company based in Washington, DC.

Pew, a nonpartisan US think tank;

These centers conducted opinion polls in a number of countries.

85% of Muslims explained their rejection of American policy as not respecting the Islamic faith and its values ​​and not dealing with Muslims fairly

America in the eyes of the Muslim masses

Successive polls conducted by these centers showed that the image of the United States in the minds of the Muslim masses was negative.

In a poll conducted by the Pew Center in 2002, 69% of Egyptians, 75% of Jordanians, 59% of Lebanese, 69% of Pakistanis, and 55% of Turks expressed their clear opposition to the policies of the United States of America. The poll also showed that most Muslims believe that the spread of ideas and customs America is detrimental to their societies.

America and the real interests of countries

Researchers in American research centers tried to explain the spread of the phenomenon of hostility to the United States by studying the impact of American foreign policy on the attitudes of the masses.

  • America's continuous support for Israel, ignoring the rights of the Palestinian people, and providing weapons to the occupation army to use in committing massacres against the Palestinians.

  • The United States ignored the real interests of Muslim countries.

  • The feeling that America is widening the gap between the rich and the poor.

  • The United States is not doing serious work to solve global problems.

    • Impact of the US aggression on Iraq

    After the American aggression on Iraq, hostility to America increased in the Islamic world, and this hostility spread outside the Middle East, especially in Indonesia, where a poll conducted showed that only 15% of the Indonesian people support American foreign policy, which indicates the growing opposition to America.

    Gallup Poll

    A Gallup poll also showed that the percentage of those who reject US foreign policy in the Muslim world ranges between 33 and 70 percent.

    And 85% of Muslims explained their rejection of the American policy as not respecting the Islamic faith and values, and not dealing with Muslims fairly.

    The findings of the "Zogby" Foundation also agreed with the results of Pew and Gallup polls. A poll conducted by the foundation indicated that the percentage of those who reject US policy in 7 Muslim countries ranges between 48 and 87%.

    Investing in public diplomacy

    These results prompted the US administration to increase the funds it allocated to public diplomacy activities, and also led to discussions among scholars and decision-makers about the impact of television news on Muslim public opinion. Spreading American values, and preparing the general atmosphere for the acceptance of American foreign policies?

    In this light, America designed its strategic plan for public diplomacy;

    It relied on various academic and cultural activities, and on publishing many materials in the media with the aim of influencing the attitudes of the masses, and instilling a positive image of America in their minds.

    The State Department coordinated these activities, increased spending on the Public Diplomacy Agency and the US Information Agency, appointed a public diplomacy officer with the rank of undersecretary, and planned long-term strategic planning to influence Muslim public opinion.

    Despite the American investment in the field of media directed to the masses in the Islamic world with the aim of influencing public opinion, there are questions that still need to be answered through in-depth studies, the most important of which are: How successful is the United States in improving its image in the Islamic world, and increasing the acceptance of the Islamic masses with its foreign policy? ?

    Media and image improvement

    One of the most important foundations on which the American strategy was based was the use of the media to reach audiences directly in Islamic countries, as it established radio stations, television channels, and websites, produced many films, published many books and magazines, and focused on producing cultural and informational materials for young people. Especially in adolescence.

    The plan also included many activities aimed at influencing journalists in Islamic countries, pushing them to adopt the American viewpoint and defending its policy, and relying on American sources to cover events.

    The US strategy to influence the public in Muslim countries included the creation of new media outlets, such as Radio Sawa and Al Hurra channel.

    But despite the American investment in the field of media directed to the masses in the Islamic world with the aim of influencing public opinion, there are questions that still need to be answered through in-depth studies, the most important of which are: How successful is the United States in improving its image in the Islamic world, and increasing the acceptance of the Islamic masses with its policy? external?

    media diplomacy

    The United States used media diplomacy to market its foreign policy and build its mental image in the Islamic world. It used new methods to produce content that affects different sectors of the public. It specifically targeted young people and adolescents. It also linked the activities of public diplomacy and media diplomacy, so the concept of existing public diplomacy emerged. On the media, the link between the practice of diplomacy and the media opened up new avenues for the use of a variety of activities to influence the masses.

    There are indications that it has succeeded in influencing many media outlets in Islamic countries to adopt the American foreign policy, and influencing journalists to adopt the American perspective in covering events.

    The need for new studies

    America is still in great need of a new type of interpretive studies to increase the opposition trends and negative image of American policy.

    Have American strategies succeeded in influencing the masses and winning their minds and hearts?

    This type of study needs non-US researchers;

    They have greater freedom and independence to discover public opinion in Muslim countries, and these studies must link the results of public opinion polls to the analysis of the content of the materials provided by America through the media.

    Hostility to Islamic values

    If we go back to the Gallup poll, we find an interesting result;

    It is that 85% of the public believe that America does not respect the Islamic faith and values, and does not deal with Muslims fairly.

    This result could have prompted America to review its policies and attitudes towards the Islamic world;

    Treating Islam with respect is the only way to the hearts of Muslims, and the United States must abandon its arrogance, arrogance, and prejudice.

    But if we analyze the content of the material provided by American television channels - especially Al-Hurra channel - we will discover that these channels still treat Islamic faith and values ​​with contempt.

    It has appointed broadcasters to present programs that attack Islam on a continuous basis, and it also forms the image of America as hostile to Islam, and it is natural that this provokes feelings of hostility against America in Islamic countries.

    Certainly, America spends lavishly on these channels, and provides them with the technical capabilities that guarantee their success;

    But that is not enough, and it may increase feelings of hostility against America when watching programs that question the validity of the Prophetic Sunnah and make fun of Islamic faith and values.

    This raises an important question: What are the characteristics by which America wants to build its image in the Islamic world?

    Does it want to present itself to the Islamic masses as being hostile to Islam, and that it demands the masses to abandon the Sunnah of their Prophet?

    The future of media diplomacy

    This could open up a new avenue for us to develop media diplomacy, as this diplomacy does not depend only on advanced media and on controlling the flow of news, but also on the quality of the content provided by these means, and the ability of the public to accept it.

    In addition, public opinion research centers need to develop their studies and methods of conducting surveys to discover facts about the impact of media and cultural programs and materials on the public.

    The programs presented by the American channels can increase the public's hostility to America, and form a negative image for it that is a state hostile to Islam.

    After that, America complains that its image has become distorted, and that hostility to America is increasing!

    Building a positive mental image is not only based on the advancement of media and the use of the latest technologies in the production of content, but it is also based on scientific studies of the audience's needs and trends, and on dealing with the public with respect.

    Perhaps America will discover that Al-Hurra TV has contributed to the distortion of its image and to the intensification of the hostility of the masses to it when it allowed a broadcaster to attack the Sunnah, ridicule Islamic symbols, and despise Islam.