A recent survey of young people in sixteen Arab countries reported declining support for the U.S. and increasing support for Russia. The American Interest comments:
[T]he survey recorded a seventeen-point increase among Arab youth who consider the U.S. an enemy, while the number of countries where a majority hold that view doubled. Antipathy to Donald Trump certainly seems to be a big factor here: 70 percent of respondents consider the president to be anti-Muslim. . . .
It would be a mistake, however, to lay all the blame for the dismal results here on President Trump. American influence in the Arab world declined precipitously under Barack Obama, while Russia has cannily exploited the vacuum to re-emerge as a credible power broker. Indeed, the impression of Russia as a more dependable, less fickle partner than the United States seems partly to explain the trend. . . . Countries with substantial Iranian proxies (like Iraq and Yemen) are more likely to favor Russia, while youth in such countries as Saudi Arabia and Qatar maintain a more favorable view of the United States.
Through a combination of Obama’s strategic failures, Trump’s anti-Muslim demagoguery, and Russia’s savvy opportunism, the next generation of Arab youth are losing faith in Washington, while Moscow’s star is on the rise.
Read more on American Interest: https://www.the-american-interest.com/2017/05/04/russia-winning-arab-hearts-and-minds/