Asia & the Pacific

Troop increases may face considerable opposition in many NATO countries, which were opposed to Obama?s original call for more forces

More Pakistanis say India is a threat to their country than say so about the Taliban or al Qaeda.

Pakistani public opinion has turned against al Qaeda and the Taliban, and no fewer than 69% of those polled express worry that extremists will take control of the nation. Ratings for President Asif Ali Zardari have also plummeted, as Pakistanis see their country in crisis.

But Few Favor Military Confrontation

Once he takes office, President-elect Barack Obama will have to navigate a world that has grown highly critical of the United States. Since 2001, the Pew Global Attitudes Project has documented a decline in America’s international image amid widespread opposition to U.S. foreign policy.

Barack Obama made headlines with some major appointments last week. But the bigger story was the deepening crises the new administration will face—a cratering economy domestically and a set of global challenges highlighted by the Mumbai terror attack.

Global Optimism, Local Fears

The U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, Japan, hosted a cross-cultural discussion of the internet and politics in which the word "cool" played a starring role.