WASHINGTON, DC – On Wednesday, U.S. Rep. Bill Delahunt, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on International Organizations, Human Rights, and Oversight will release a new report -- The Decline in America’s Reputation: Why? 

 The subcommittee report is based on the testimony of pollsters and regional analysts during a series of ten hearings held by the Subcommittee over the past year.  The 44 page report documents a dramatic decline in world opinion toward the United States from 2002 when global public opinion towards the United States was relatively high, to a generally unfavorable position in the years since.

The report details how the decline is driven not by anti-American sentiment, but by the invasion and occupation of Iraq, reports of torture and abuse of prisoners, support for repressive governments in the Middle East and Africa, and an image of aggressive military unilateralism.  However, in spite of the poor image of the United States government, the report shows how worldwide opinion of American values is still quite high.   

Tomorrow’s hearing will start with a vote to approve and release the report, after which the Subcommittee will hear assessments of the report’s findings from several foreign policy specialists.

WHO:  House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on International Organizations, Human Rights, and Oversight

WHERE:  Room 2172 of the Rayburn House Office Building

DATE:      Wednesday June 11, 2008

TIME:      9:30 AM

SUBJECT:  “Release and Review of the Subcommittee Report:  “The Decline in America's Reputation: Why?”

WITNESSES:

Esther Brimmer, Ph.D.

Deputy Director and Director of Research for the

Center for Transatlantic Relations

The Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies

Johns Hopkins University

Scott W. Hibbard, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor

Department of Political Science

DePaul University

John Tirman, Ph.D.

Principal Research Scientist and Executive Director

Center for International Studies

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

David Frum

Resident Fellow

American Enterprise Institute

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