With only days left in the Bush Presidency, the entire world is ready to give a sigh of relief, right?
Not exactly.
In some places of the world, George Bush is well-liked.
Israel is an obvious example.
Less obvious is Lebanon. Bush backed the pre-Western factions that won legislative victory in 2005 and formed a government. Lingering goodwill towards Bush remains from that.
Bush is popular in India too, where his arrangements of a nuclear deal with that country warmed American-Indian relations.
In Kosovo, a street was named after him for his support of that country’s independence.
Yet the greatest support for Bush lies in Africa. Some polls have given Bush an approval rating as high as 80%. The approval holds in both the Christian and Muslim areas of Africa.
No American President has provided as much aid to Africa as Bush. From 2001 to 2008, African foreign aid doubled. In addition, billions were supplied by Bush initiatives to fight malaria and aids. Even more was given for programs promoting good governance.
During Bush’s visit to Africa in 2008, throngs of people greeted him. In Darfur, where his administration has been credited for humanitarian relief and easing the civil war, some name their children after George Bush.
Even though Bush remains despised and hated throughout much of the world, nothing is simple. George Bush epitomizes that. For much of the world, he is a villain, but a few will remember him as a hero.
