Hughes faces challenge of poor U.S. image

CAIRO, Sept. 28 (UPI) -- Karen Hughes, a close adviser to President Bush, opened her challenge to improve the world's opinion of the United States, with a stop in Egypt.

Hughes met Tuesday with students in Egypt and their comments indicate just how tough her job will be to get people, many of whom believe the United States is overzealous in its role and the world's sole superpower, to reconsider their view of her country, the Christian Science Monitor reported.

Her first foreign trip as a formal member of the U.S. State Department takes her to Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Turkey on a "listening tour." Hughes told Egyptian students people don't understand U.S. policy in the post-Sept. 11, 2001, world, but also said the United States wouldn't back down on its global war on terror.

Students interviewed by the Monitor after Hughes' visit didn't seem to be convinced.

Student Nena Rizk told the Monitor the United States "acts in the wrong way -- she misuses her position. I think maybe America misunderstands how to use power. She wants to make an example of Iraq and makes other counties afraid of her rather than negotiating together."