Obama Approval Rating in Arab World Now Worse Than Bush

Perceptions of the U.S. and President Barack Obama have nosedived in the Arab World to levels lower than during the Bush administration, a remarkable reversal for Obama, who made a speech vowing a new era of relations with the Arab world shortly after being elected

A poll conducted by Zogby for the Arab American Institute Foundation found that the killing of Osama bin Laden seems to have damaged Obama's standing, and his handling of the Arab Spring has not earned him any points. In Saudi Arabia 30 percent of respondents said they had a favorable view of the United States, compared with 41 percent in 2009, while roughly 5 percent said the same in Egypt, down from 30 percent in 2009.

The very high expectations that were created in 2009 -- there's been a letdown since then, said James Zogby, president and founder of the Arab American Institute, which is affiliated with the foundation.

The poll encompassed 4,000 respondents in Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Morocco; they collectively rated Obama lowest on the Palestinian issue and engagement with the Muslim world.