Washington, Feb 01: US Secretary of State Colin Powell has admitted that some of the bush administration's policies were deeply unpopular around the world – but forecast a rising tide of criticism would subside as US positions changed. Powell, speaking at a conference on US Asia policy yesterday, said president George W Bush did not believe in a unilateral "gunslinger" approach, but preferred to try and build a "posse" of allies.
"There's less anti-Americanism than you would be led to believe just by reporting," Powell said in an off the cuff answer to a question from the audience at the national conference of world affairs councils of America.
But he admitted, "There are a lot of disagreements around the world on some of our policies.
"There's no question that our policy with respect to Iraq is not supported by large numbers of Europeans and in other nations around the world.
It was not clear if Powell was advocating a change in policy to placate opposition.
But he added, "success changes attitudes very quickly. And if we are successful with some of our more controversial policies, then I think those attitudes would change." Bureau Report