Germans Lose Respect for U.S. Over Iraq War Wed April 2, 2003 08:12 AM ET BERLIN (Reuters) - Nearly nine in 10 Germans have lost their respect for the United States because of the war in Iraq, according to an opinion poll by the Forsa institute published on Wednesday. The poll for Stern magazine found 89 percent of the 1,003 Germans surveyed said "No" when asked "Is the United States still a role model?" Only nine percent said "Yes" and two percent said they had no opinion.
Germans have long harbored an overwhelmingly positive image of the United States -- especially in the dominant western part of the country that was protected during the Cold War by a large U.S. military force.
Many also admire the United States for defending West Berlin during the Berlin Airlift and Berlin Wall standoffs with the Soviet Union. Close business and cultural ties have flourished between two of the world's three biggest economic powers.
But the German government and about four-fifths of the public have firmly opposed the U.S.-led war to oust Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, harshly criticizing the United States for failing to get explicit U.N. backing for its action.
The Forsa institute found 62 percent of Germans surveyed expect the United States to emerge from the Iraq war weakened and only 19 percent see it emerging stronger. A further 19 percent had no opinion.
