Arab News

WASHINGTON, 25 June 2003 — Most Americans would support US military action to stop Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

By 56 to 38 percent, Americans approve the use of US military to block Iran from developing nuclear arms, said a Washington Post-ABC poll released yesterday.

More than six in 10 Americans polled said the decision to go to war was justified even if the United States does not find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

The survey found that support for the war in Iraq, and President Bush, continued to be strong but may be ebbing. Nearly seven in ten, 68 percent, of those interviewed said they approve of the way Bush is handling the war, down from 75 percent in late April.

Sixty-four percent said benefits from the war outweighed the cost, a drop from 70 percent in the Post-ABC poll in April.

But Americans are unclear when it comes to significant details about the Iraq war. One in four incorrectly believes Iraq used chemical or biological weapons against US forces during the conflict.

The poll said concern is mounting over US military casualties. Thirty-five percent believe US troop losses are acceptable, 56 percent of those polled agreed in April. “The proportion of levels as acceptable dropped by 23 percentage points among political independents, to 43 percent. There was no change among Republicans.”

Women polled also showed an increase in concern about rising casualties, increasing from 33 percent to 50 percent in the past seven weeks.

The poll has dismayed Middle East experts: “My gut reaction to this poll is that it is a further validation to a book written back in the 1950’s — a ‘Nation of Sheep’ by William Lederer,” said John Duke Anthony, president of the Washington-based National Council on US-Arab Relations.

Anthony said the situation was worse now than 50 years ago, because the Americans have access to news through television and are an increasingly literate population. “You would think that we would have policies and positions and attitudes that would reflect that.”

“If anything, there’s been a descent to a lower level of consensus based less on fact than perceptions, and less on rational, dispassionate analysis than crude emotions, gut instincts, and mindless patriotism.” Anthony said the mood reflected in today’s polls are “scary, depressing and worrisome,” because of its implications for America’s national interests as well as the US’ international relations and key foreign policy objectives.

“It’s no small consequence that we stand increasingly isolated worldwide on basic matters of war and peace.”