They like us! They really like us!

A non-profit named Terror Free Tomorrow has recently made news with its release of "the first poll in Pakistan since the earthquake of October 8, 2005", undertaken by the Pakistan branch of ACNielsen.

The group says its poll, which surveyed 1,450 Pakistani adults--with a margin of error of "2.6%", found:

-73% of Pakistanis surveyed in November 2005 now believe suicide terrorist attacks are never justified, up from 46% just last May.

-Support for Osama Bin Laden has declined significantly (51% favorable in May 2005 to just
33% in November), while those who oppose him rose over the same period from 23% to
41%.

-US favorability among Pakistanis has doubled from 23% in May to more than 46% now,
while the percentage of Pakistanis with very unfavorable views declined from 48% to 28%.

-For the first time since 9/11, more Pakistanis are now favorable to the United States than
unfavorable.

-78% of Pakistanis have a more favorable opinion of the United States because of the
American response to the earthquake, with the strongest support among those under 35.

-79% of those with confidence in Bin Laden now have a more favorable view of the US
because of American earthquake aid.

-81% said that earthquake relief was important for them in forming their overall opinion of
the United States.

-The United States fared better in Pakistani public opinion than both other Western countries
and radical Islamist groups

-While opinion of the United States itself improved significantly, this did not translate into
increased support for US-led efforts to fight terrorism. Tellingly, those who oppose US
efforts against terrorism grew, from 52% in May to 64% now.

Wow--a lot of interesting data there. For some reason, I feel like taking it all with a grain of salt; am reminded of the old sporting dictum, that coaches/quarterbacks always get too much credit when the team wins, too much blame when the team loses.

Likewise, I never thought most Pakistanis hated the U.S. after our 'response' to 9/11, anymore than I think that $156 million in earthquake relief will make a Pakistani Muslim who hates the U.S. for its decades-long destructive meddling in the governance of his country love us.

And if it did--we shouldn't want that kind of support. Checkbook diplomacy is easy-come, easy-go; simply providing aid isn't what will change hearts and minds, it's getting Pakistanis to understand that the aid stems from values consistent with a compassionate people that will make a difference.

Besides which, does the rah-rah Terror Free Tomorrow group really want to make U.S. foreign aid the foundation of our argument to other nations that they shouldn't hate us? Because if so, they'll have to explain why as a percentage of our economy, U.S. foreign aid ranks near last among developed nations.

So maybe it's the Norwegians whom the Pakistanis really love?