Complex sentence: In 2002,62% of French people viewed the United States favorably; this number dropped below 50% for each year between 2003 and 2008, due in part to differences between the two countries during the Iraq War.
Split into simpler sentences: In 2002,62% of French people viewed the U.S. favorably. This number dropped below 50% for each year between 2003 and 2008, due in part to differences between the two countries during the Iraq War.