Anti-Americanism — Why Don't They Like Us?

By Terri Morrison and Wayne A. Conaway
© Copyright 2004, All Rights Reserved

In truth, few US travelers are ever physically injured by anti-American violence, but the possibility exists. Below is a brief guide for the global traveler on the causes of anti-Americanism in several countries.

A traveler need go no further than Mexico to find substantial anti-American sentiment. Mexico has a long and tortured relationship with the US, including several US invasions. The States of California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas were part of Mexico until the US annexed them. Mexican Dictator Porfirio Díaz (1830-1915) once commented, “Poor Mexico — so far from God, so close to the United States.”

Today the US and Mexico have relatively good relations, but Mexicans are still very prickly about their sovereignty. There is great resistance against allowing the US Drug Enforcement Agency to operate in Mexico, despite the fact that Mexicans themselves have little confidence in their own police departments. And, protests erupt whenever a Mexican national is sentenced to death in America. In the southern Mexican state of Chiapas, the Zapatista National Liberation Army opposes globalization by US companies. The current Mexican President, Vicente Fox, hopes to improve cross-border relations and to protect Mexican immigrants in America. Unfortunately, Vicente Fox may become the Gorbachev of the 21st century — a head of state respected abroad while his popularity slumps at home.

In the Caribbean, relations between the US and Cuba have been poisonous for about four decades. Cuba is a totalitarian state controlled by President Fidel Castro since 1959. From about 1960 to the early 90s, Castro pursued close relations with the Soviets receiving substantial economic and military assistance; about $5.6 billion annually. Cuban-Soviet ties, along with human rights violations, sabotaged US relations, culminating in an economic embargo and suspension of direct charter flights. Despite the antagonism of their government, the Cuban people welcome US visitors.

In South America, the strongest anti-American sentiment is found in Colombia. Of course, the US government has long been at odds with Colombia’s narcotics traffickers. Most recently, the US began helping the central government attempt to regain control over regions ruled by separatist groups and narcotic traders. But there is a reason that Bogotá does not control the entire nation: many Colombians see it as corrupt and unresponsive to their needs. By allying ourselves with Bogotá, the US is making enemies of many Colombians. Also, thousands of people — including US citizens — have been kidnapped and held for ransom by Colombian gangs and guerrillas. In neighboring Venezuela, the unpredictable government of President Hugo Chavez continues to rail against the US and globalization. Kidnapping is endemic in Venezuela as well.

In January 2002, Argentina experienced a complete economic meltdown. Riots broke out as banks failed or were closed by the government. (Street protests have toppled four presidents in two weeks.) The fact that many banks are owned by US companies has fueled anti-Americanism. Also, the value of the Argentine peso was pegged one-to-one with the US dollar until the collapse. While the US bears no direct blame for that, people forced to accept non-convertible scrip in lieu of pesos from their government aren’t always logical. Bartering is becoming commonplace.

Moving west to the Pacific Rim, it is not hard to find anti-American sentiment. Our Pacific allies and trading partners, Japan and South Korea, have conflicted views of the US. The presence of American military bases on their soil is a constant source of friction, even though their presence insures their protection. There are periodic protests against these bases, and anti-American sentiment grows every time a US serviceman commits a crime in these countries. Conflicts with the US military don’t even have to occur on their territory; the Japanese were furious when a Japanese ship was accidentally sunk by a US submarine in Hawaii.

The Philippines have a complex relationship with the US. After defeating Spain in the Spanish-American war, the US took possession of the Philippines. The majority of Filipinos were happy to get rid of their Spanish overlords. But instead of independence, they found that they had new colonial masters, the Americans. The Filipinos were not pleased. To enforce its rule, the US took draconian action. In 1916, US troops under General John “Black Jack” Pershing attacked Muslim rebels in the south of the Philippines. An estimated 15,000 Muslims died. While the US eventually granted independence to the Philippines, the memory of US actions lingers. The US abandoned its military bases in the Philippines a decade ago, but US troops have recently returned. Some 600 American military advisors are currently helping Philippine troops to subdue Abu Sayyaf, a Muslim rebel group that is holding US citizens as hostages. The return of US troops to the Philippines has brought renewed anti-Americanism.

Nearby, in Indonesia, several years of economic and political instability have transformed the archipelago from a prime location for foreign investment to a place of avoidance for business executives. Indonesia is the world’s most populous Muslim nation, and many Indonesians oppose the bombing of Afghanistan. But Indonesian anti-Americanism predates September 11. In October 2000, radical Muslim groups ransacked hotels and nightclubs frequented by foreigners. Furthermore, Indonesia has several separatist movements that can break out into violence, catching US citizens in the crossfire. On the Sulawesi and Maluki islands, sectional fighting crosses religious lines, with Christians and Muslims massacring each other. And the separatist regions of Aceh and Irian Jaya want to become independent from Indonesia, as did East Timor in 1999.

Even Australia, one of the staunchest allies of the US has had occasional problems. About two years ago, Australians were outraged when Richard Armitage (now the US Deputy Secretary of State) implied that Australians were obligated by treaty to help the US defend Taiwan from an invasion by the People’s Republic of China. New Zealand, the third member of Anzus, which is an Australian-New Zealand-United States defensive agreement signed in 1951. (The name Anzus is derived from the initials of the three signatory nations.) The reestablishment of peace between Japan and the United States in 1951 caused Australia and New Zealand to ask for a treaty making it clear that an attack on any of the three signatory countries would be considered an attack on all. New Zealand's 1985 refusal to allow US nuclear-powered (or nuclear-armed) ships to enter its ports caused the US to abolish its Anzus responsibilities toward New Zealand in 1986.

The People’s Republic of China displays wild swings in anti-Americanism. The status of Taiwan, a US ally, remains a flash point. In May 1999, the US Embassy in Beijing was violently attacked after the US accidentally bombed the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade, Yugoslavia. Relations were also strained in 2001 when a US spy plane collided with a Chinese plane, forcing the US plane and its crew to land in China. However, the Chinese seem to be taking the latest scandal in remarkably good temper — the discovery of hidden listening devices on a US-built aircraft commissioned for Chinese Premier Jiang Zemin. Anti-Americanism can reappear at any time in the world’s most populous nation.

India, the world’s second most populous nation, has had reasonably good relations with the US. But a recent terrorist attack on the government and continuing violence in Kashmir has brought India to the brink of war with Pakistan, a long-time US ally. While most citizens follow Hindu beliefs, many religions (including Islam) have believers in India, so anti-American attacks by religious fundamentalist are always a possibility. On January 22, 2002, the American Center in Calcutta was attacked, killing four Indian guards.

To the west and north of India lie the world’s largest Muslim populations. Anti-Americanism can appear in any of these nations, which range from Asia to the Middle East to Africa. The three most common US objections by fundamentalist Muslims are: US support of Israel to the detriment of the Palestinians; the presence of US troops in bases on the holy soil of Saudi Arabia; and the pernicious effects of US culture on Muslims. None of these issues are likely to be resolved soon. While only a tiny minority of Muslims ever commits violence against US citizens or properties, anti-American sentiment is widespread among the world’s Muslim community.

In the non-Muslim portions of the former Soviet Union, the Cold War suspicion of the US has never fully gone away. Except in the three Baltic Republics (Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia) there is considerable disappointment with US-style capitalism and democracy. And the US opposes many actions by Russia, including the selling of armaments to Iran and Iraq.

We complete our round-the-world tour in Europe. While most European countries are allies, don’t think that you can’t encounter anti-Americanism. Current European problems with America include objections over US business practices, the US death penalty and US treatment of captured Taliban guerillas. Expect violent protests in Europe if former journalist Mumia Abu-Jamal (now on death row in Pennsylvania) is ever executed. Anti-American violence in Europe is rare, but be prepared for verbal attacks, even in otherwise polite conversation.

Fortunately, US travelers will not be faced with anti-Americanism every time they go abroad. It is worthwhile to know when and where anti-Americanism might occur. Ultimately, being a citizen of the US yields many benefits. Enduring occasional anti-Americanism is a small price to pay for freedom.

Excerpted from OAG Frequent Flyer, February 13, 2002