The United States views itself as the "leader of the free world." But that�s not the image many people in the Muslim world have of this country.

If a recent Gallup poll of nearly 10,000 residents of nine Islamic countries shows the true sentiment of their populations, then the United States is viewed as ruthless, aggressive, conceited, arrogant and easily provoked.

Surprisingly, the most negative attitudes come from Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, countries the United States has given significant support. The U.S. and Western allies helped to "liberate" Kuwait from an invasion by Iraq�s President Saddam Hussein. A U.S. military base in Saudi Arabia protects the kingdom and the oil flow. Other countries polled are Indonesia, Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Pakistan and Turkey.

Not only do the citizens of these countries dislike President Bush�58 percent view him unfavorably�they overwhelmingly view America�s war on Afghanistan as morally unjustifiable. They also overwhelmingly believe that Arabs did not carry out the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, as President Bush and the media have alleged.

A noteworthy 36 percent of those polled in Kuwait, however, say the attacks on the U.S. landmarks were justifiable.

Perhaps the motivating force for the negative image of the U.S. government is that Muslim nations feel the West does not respect Islamic or Arab values, according to the poll. Just seven percent say the West is fair in its perceptions of Muslim countries.

According to the poll, most countries also view the lifestyles of United States and the West as "immoral and irreligious," but admire the economic success, technology and personal freedoms of Western culture.

So what does this all mean?

We suggest the poll resurrects the question many were asking when the horrendous attacks on the U.S. occurred: Why do they hate us? We also suggest that the answer lies in the topic U.S. officials refused to put on the table during the discussions that flowed from the attacks�U.S. foreign policy.

As the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan has suggested in numerous speeches and in his letter to President Bush, countries all over the world would cooperate and offer the wealth of their lands to America if the government would act justly toward those nations, give them fair value for their products and stop trying to rule the nations by threat and pressure.

You would think that the opinions of Kuwaitis and Pakistanis would portray a positive image of America. Why does Saudi Arabia�s image of America suffer? Is there similar sentiment in other countries that are not Islamic? Do other countries accept the economic, military and technological aid of the United States, but deep down inside they harbor ill will against the world�s last superpower?

Instead of dismissing this poll or qualifying it as not reflective of the sentiments of the citizens of the Muslim world, policy makers should seriously reflect on these views and seek to find real answers to "why do they hate us."

The citizens of the Muslim world�and perhaps other nations�are trying to tell America that her refusal to deal justly on matters that affect them�most notably Israel�is causing America to be viewed as dictatorial and arrogant.

We recall that Goliath was a strong man and leader of a massive army, but he also was arrogant and was felled by one smooth stone hurled by a small man.

It�s something about arrogance and pride that does not allow one to see himself clearly. That�s why the Bible warns that pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.