Recent research raises the intriguing possibility that Americans’ views about U.S. foreign policy can be influenced not just by the president and members of Congress – the elites from whom the public typically takes its cues – but also by the leaders of other nations and the United Nations. That [...] Read more »
Support for Using US Troops to Defend South Korea Hits All-time High
If Kim Jong-un was trying to get our attention, he’s certainly succeeded. An April 12-15 Chicago Council survey (fielded before the Boston Marathon attacks) suggests that the provocative threats from Pyongyang have had some effect on American attitudes. The number of Americans who support defending South Korea from an attack [...] Read more »
Americans against U.S. intervention in Syria, N. Korea
Most Americans continue to say that the U.S. does not have a responsibility to intervene in Syria and think that North Korea is a threat that can be contained for now, according to a new CBS News/New York Times poll. [cont.] Fred Backus, CBS News Read more »
For ‘Millennials,’ a Tide of Cynicism and a Partisan Gap
… “If you are 24 years old, all you know is petty partisan politics while big issues aren’t getting addressed, while the economy is still struggling,” said Trey Grayson, director of the Institute of Politics at Harvard University, which on Tuesday will release the results of the latest in a [...] Read more »
Modest Support for Military Force if Syria Used Chemical Weapons
By a 45% to 31% margin, more Americans favor than oppose the U.S. and its allies taking military action against Syria, if it is confirmed that Syria used chemical weapons against anti-government groups. Public interest in the Syrian conflict remains low, and nearly a quarter of Americans (23%) have no [...] Read more »
Ten Years On, GOP Faithful Less Positive about Iraq War
There have been a lot of retrospective pieces about the Iraq war the past few weeks (before they were overtaken by commentaries about Margaret Thatcher), but Ole R. Holsti, the George V. Allen Professor of Political Science (Emeritus) at Duke University, has been looking at American attitudes on the Iraq [...] Read more »
Public Divided over North Korea’s Intentions, Capability
A majority of Americans say that the United States should take North Korea’s nuclear threats very seriously. At the same time, the public is divided over whether North Korea’s leadership is willing and capable of following through on its threats against the United States. [cont.] Pew Read more »
Worries about North Korean threat at all time high
As North Korea increases its alarming threats against South Korea and the United States the past few weeks, a new national survey suggests that Americans are listening. And a CNN/ORC International poll also indicates that for the first time, a majority of the public is pessimistic that the situation involving [...] Read more »
Americans Say U.S. Should Aid South Korea if Attacked
If North Korea were to attack South Korea, as increasingly seems to be a possibility with the recent threats and actions of North Korean leaders, the majority of Americans (55%) say the United States should use its military forces to help defend the South, while 34% say the U.S. should [...] Read more »
65% Support Drone Attacks on Terrorists Abroad
Nearly two-thirds of Americans (65%) think the U.S. government should use drones to launch airstrikes in other countries against suspected terrorists. Americans are, however, much less likely to say the U.S. should use drones to launch airstrikes in other countries against U.S. citizens living abroad who are suspected terrorists (41%); [...] Read more »