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America in 2013: Impressions from around the world

(AP) — How have events of the past year including the U.S. government shutdown, the NSA spying eruption and the conflict in Syria - helped shape the world's view of America? Associated Press reporters asked that question of people across the world.Some responses:AUSTRALIATo David Evans, an 84-year-old Australian, the government shutdown was an indignity unbefitting a nation he has long loved. Evans adores America: He's the former president of the Australian American Association, has a son who lives in Miami and, just last week, attended a ceremony in the Australian capital to mark the 70th anniversary of former U.S. first lady Eleanor Roosevelt's visit Down Under.And yet even he has watched with dismay as the events of the past year leached away the luster from America's once-golden image in his eyes.\It was bizarre. And I just could not accept that a country like America could be brought almost to its knees by so few people