During the 2012 election, one of the perceived advantages President Obama held over Mitt Romney was the president’s seemingly firm grasp of foreign policy issues. During the summer months of the campaign, fully 47% of voters felt President Obama was better equipped to handle foreign affairs issues compared to 32% […] Read more »
Why ‘Isolationist’ Obscures More than It Reveals
Yesterday’s New York Times included a brief summary of recent Times/CBS poll results on American foreign policy. The article, by Megan Thee-Brenan, lit up the Twittersphere not because of its substantive conclusions but rather because of its lede, which began, “Americans are exhibiting an isolationist streak, with majorities across party […] Read more »
Widespread Middle East Fears that Syrian Violence Will Spread
As concern mounts about the Syrian government’s possible use of chemical weapons against its own people, publics in the Middle East – especially the Lebanese – are extremely worried about violence spreading to neighboring countries. Nonetheless, a new survey by the Pew Research Center, conducted before news emerged of alleged […] 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 »
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 »
Americans Least Favorable Toward Iran
Nearly nine in 10 Americans have an unfavorable view of Iran, making it the worst rated country out of 22 surveyed. Seven other countries — Libya, Iraq, Afghanistan, the Palestinian Authority, Syria, Pakistan, and North Korea — also receive unfavorable ratings of 70% or more. Eighty percent or more of […] Read more »