Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
A number of major stories—the Gaza conflict, Blago-gate, and the faltering economy—grabbed the attention of the news media last week. But with his inauguration looming, the challenges facing the President-elect emerged as the dominant theme.
Faced with a long-running and difficult war in Iraq, continued worries about terror attacks and growing economic uncertainty at home, the public became less supportive of global engagement during the final years of the Bush presidency. That marked a significant change from the period immediately after the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, when there […]
The economic crisis showed few signs of easing, a scandal-plagued governor tried to anoint a Senator, and the incoming President moved to Washington. But last week, the guns of the Middle East dominated the news agenda.
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.
Seven years after the 9/11 attacks, terrorism is the public’s top international concern. Nearly three-quarters of Americans (72%) say that Islamic extremist groups like al Qaeda represent a major threat to the well-being of the United States. Fewer regard the nuclear programs in Iran and North Korea, tensions between Russia and its neighbors, or Pakistan’s […]
Introduction Predictions often inspire lively discussion about the future and they can help stakeholders prepare to make adjustments to meet the needs associated with technological change. Those who think about the future are best poised to influence it and cope with it. Many futurists, scientists, and long-term thinkers today argue that the acceleration of technological […]
Overview The public is feeling much better about how the war in Iraq is going these days, but at the same time has a sharply diminished appetite for U.S. efforts to deal with an array of global problems. Fewer people than at any point in this decade assign high priority to such foreign policy goals […]
Congress voted on a Detroit bailout, the media focused on fallout from the economic meltdown, and Barack Obama rolled out a key appointment. But a political scandal bleepin’ swamped ‘em all.