The level of Australians' confidence in the ability of the United States to manage international affairs has dropped dramatically, a latest opinion poll has shown.
Dissatisfaction with U.S. President George W. Bush and his conduct of the Iraq war is also growing, according to the poll published Wednesday on The Australian, one of the leading newspapers in Australia.
The survey of 1,213 Australians in July is the first survey of attitudes by the U.S. Studies Center at the University of Sydney, set up earlier this year by the Howard Government to improve relations between Australia and the United States.
The center is supposed to be "the prime Australian source of information and commentary on the U.S."
That level of confidence has almost halved in just six years - from 66 percent in 2001 to 37 percent today.
Almost three-quarters said Australia's involvement in the war on terror had made it a terrorist target, a view at odds with that asserted by Australian Prime Minister John Howard.
Meanwhile, the survey found continuing support for the U.S. alliance: 92 percent expected the United States to continue to be a close security partner and 79 percent considered the alliance important to Australia's protection.
But 48 percent said it would be better for Australia if a more independent stance were taken. This contrasted with an opinion poll from 1975 showing only 26 percent wanted a more independent relationship.
Asked to name something they disliked about the United States, the largest response was about the president himself.
While 64 percent opposed the war in Iraq, 50 percent were opposed to Australian involvement in Afghanistan.
Source: Xinhua
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