UK wants strong US leadership
Britain is the firmest backer of a strong America in Europe, according to a new survey.
Research by Transatlantic Trends carried out on both sides of the Atlantic saw 74% of Britons say strong US leadership is desirable, up from 64% last year.
That significantly exceeds the 55% average seen in the EU countries surveyed. French aversion to strong US leadership increased to 51%. German support for the US’ dominant global role slipped slightly to 59%.
But Britain is a strong supporter of US president Barack Obama, as reflected in the Ministry of Defence’s permanent secretary telling a Washington DC audience earlier this week that the UK is happy to act as the US’ “deputy sheriff”.
MoD chief: UK wants to be America’s ‘deputy sheriff’
Over half of Britons supported Mr Obama’s approach to Afghanistan, although the survey showed downbeat attitudes appeared to be predominating.
Sixty-five per cent said they were pessimistic about stabilising, while 40% said they wanted to withdraw all UK troops.
This weekend’s Munich security conference will see UK prime minister David Cameron discuss what steps can be taken to fill in the details of Afghan president Hamid Karzai’s plans to see international troops out of Afghanistan by the end of 2014.
World leaders gather to plot Afghan withdrawal
Britons’ aversion for the EU continues unbated, the survey found. More said membership of the EU was bad for the economy than those who said it was bad, while 40% had an overall unfavourable view, the highest in the EU.
