As fighting continues in eastern Ukraine between government forces and Russian-backed rebels, the public has become more supportive of sending arms to the Ukrainian government and increasing sanctions on Russia. CONT. Pew Read more »
Americans Increasingly See Russia as Threat, Top U.S. Enemy
Russia now edges out North Korea as the country Americans consider the United States’ greatest enemy. Two years ago, only 2% of Americans named Russia, but that increased to 9% in 2014 as tensions between Russia and the U.S. increased, and now sits at 18%. CONT. Jeffrey M. Jones, Gallup Read more »
The Outrage Dilemma
… Recent barbaric acts committed by Islamic State extremists, including the beheadings of Westerners and the immolation in a cage of a Jordanian air force pilot, shocked the nation. Now we learn of the death of Kayla Mueller, a 26-year-old American aid worker held hostage by ISIS since August 2013. […] Read more »
ISIS, Terrorism Seen as Graver Threats Than Russia, Ukraine
Despite the intensifying fighting between Ukraine and Russian-backed separatists before the cease-fire agreement Thursday, Americans place the conflict low on the list of critical threats to U.S. interests in the next decade. Islamic extremists, commonly known as the Islamic State or ISIS, along with international terrorism in general, loom much […] Read more »
How Russia props up Putin in the polls
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s popularity appears to resist the laws of political physics. Despite the price of oil sinking below $50 a barrel and the Russian economy falling into a tailspin, Putin’s approval ratings hover above 80 percent, seemingly defying gravity. But the numbers should not be taken at face […] Read more »
Putin and Netanyahu in the top 10 most admired in U.S. Why?
When Gallup issued its annual poll of the men Americans most admired in 2014, it featured two improbable names at No. 10: Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. All things considered, 2014 wasn’t a terribly good year for either. … So how did Putin and Netanyahu […] Read more »