After the 2000 election, when the Supreme Court appointed George W. Bush as president, foreigners often made it clear that they liked Americans, they just hated Bush. This sentiment has changed. Now the citizens of the United States are also hated.

After Bush managed to win back the office with the help of highly suspect tactics such as the use of paperless voting machines and the shenanigans in Ohio, the rest of the world assumed that America had signed on to Bush's policies of preemptive wars of aggression, the gutting of the Kyoto protocols, bashing of the International Criminal Court and the United Nations, and other unilateralist policies.

They assume we are in favor of unlawful detentions, the use of "extraordinary rendition" of detainees to other countries to be tortured, the abuse of prisoners at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo, and the quest for global empire.

And it isn't just the more than one billion Muslims who we have alienated with our war on Iraq or the use of the word "crusade" by Bush. And it isn't just "Old Europe" countries like Germany of France that wouldn't sign on to Bush's war.

When Bush last traveled to England, which provides the second highest number of troops to his coalition, London had 6,000 police on duty in addition to hundreds of Secret Service agents. Bush wanted the subway system and central London closed. He wanted protesters to be corralled out of sight. His handlers wanted to deploy military jets, helicopters, and gattling guns. Bush wanted the room he was staying in to be armored to withstand explosions. Manhole covers were welded shut.

Bush wanted immunity for any of his guards in the event that they shot any protestors. They had to cancel a parade in an open carriage with the queen because of safety concerns. Bush canceled appearances in front of British politicians for fear of being heckled. Huge throngs of people marched to show their contempt for the man.

Bush again traveled in an immense convoy of armored vehicles when he appeared in Ireland, where large demonstrations occurred. One local paper contrasted pictures of Clinton being greeted by huge crowds of admiring Irish citizens with no security detail in sight alongside a picture of the column of tanks deployed to ensure Bush's safety.

Australia is also part of Bush's coalition in Iraq.

In a June 5 article by Ainsley Pavey for Australia's The Sunday Times entitled "Students quit over Anti-US Slurs," the journalist reports: "American students are quitting Queensland universities in the face of hate attacks by Australians angry at US President George W. Bush and the war in Iraq.

"One university has launched an investigation into claims an American student returned to the US after suffering six months of abuse at a residential college in Brisbane."

Pavey writes that "American students have told The Sunday Mail the verbal attacks are unbearable and threatening to escalate into physical violence."

One American student was quoted as saying that "abusive Australian students had repeatedly called him a 'seppo'--short for septic tank." He remarked, "It is so disrespectful. It's not exactly the most welcoming atmosphere here."

"The abuse problem is so prevalent that US students are being given formal briefings before leaving home on how to cope with abusive Australians."

It isn't just the Australian men who are harassing Americans. The article states that "even female Australians were verbally abusive" and that the problem could escalate into a very large brawl." One American student said that "attitudes towards him were 'scary'." He stated that "It's unbelievable. It's been war. People are scared. It's hard to be an American in Australia at the moment. It is really hard. It varies with different people, but you have to be quiet and try not to draw attention to yourself." Other students reported that they are harassed by people as soon as their accent is recognized.

US students are being "advised not to carry any items that would identify their nationality."

One American female student said she was desperate to get home after the slurs, which also occurred in the town's pubs. "They basically picked on me. At first I though it was a joke. Then I just had it out with them and told them I came here to be treated respectfully." She went on to say, "I have had a few incidents in bars. I had a guy and he heard my accent and he said: 'I hate your president. I hate your country.'"

One commentator said that "students suffered culture shock because of the belief that everyone loved Americans" only to discover that the citizens of our country are despised by one of our closest allies.

I spent three months in Queensland, Australia shortly before Bush assumed office. The Aussies were unfailingly polite and the local "musos," or musicians, accepted me as one of their own.

It must have been a hard adjustment for those students who now find themselves vilified by the easy going Aussies but that is Bush's legacy. Even the citizens of our closest allies despise us.