US government shutdown greeted with disbelief around the world

As the US government creaked towards yesterday's shutdown, the world looked on with a little anxiety and a lot of dismay, and some people had trouble suppressing smirks.

"To be honest, people are making a lot of jokes," said Justice Malala, a political commentator in South Africa.

Over the years, Malala said, South Africa often has been lectured about good governance by the United States as well as the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, which are heavily influenced by Washington.

"They tell us, 'You guys are not being fiscally responsible'," Malala said. "And now we see that they are running their country a little like a banana republic. So there is a lot of sniggering going on."

The United States was plunged into the partial government shutdown for the first time in nearly two decades as an attempt by conservative Republicans to stop President Barack Obama's health-care law stalled a temporary funding bill. About 800,000 federal workers are being forced off the job and most nonessential federal programmes and services are being suspended.

Many analysts abroad said they were dumbfounded at the game of political chicken playing out in Washington. They worried that instability in the United States would further damage the already shaky world economy.