Newsweek Poll: Despite Israel Connection, Most
Americans Support Her
A Newsweek poll released this weekend shows that Fifty-eight
percent of Americans polled see the United States' ties to Israel
and U.S. policies toward the Palestinian situation as a major
motivation for the terrorists who have targeted the U.S.,
according to the latest Newsweek Poll, but that figure is down
from 68 percent last month.
And the number of Americans who oppose reducing U.S. ties to
Israel to lower the threat of terrorism has risen to 61 percent;
63 percent doubt such action would actually reduce terrorist acts
against the U.S., the poll shows.
Also seen as major motivation for terrorists are U.S. military
and economic power in general (by 62% of those polled); the U.S.
role in the Gulf War and continued military presence in the
Persian Gulf (47%); economic hardship in the Muslim world created
by western capitalism (39%); and resentment of U.S. culture
(28%).
Still, those polled are almost evenly split on whether the U.S.
should consider changing its policies in the Middle East to try
to reduce the violent backlash against it (46% yes; 43% no).
A 60-percent majority opposes dropping economic sanctions against
Iraq.
But majorities aren't happy about the amount of foreign aid the
U.S. gives to several countries in the region.
Fifty-two percent say the $2.8 billion in aid the U.S. gave to
Israel last year was too much; 55 percent say the $2.2 billion
the U.S. gave to Egypt was too much and 56 percent say the $80
million given to the Palestinian Authority was too much, the poll
shows.
President George W. Bush continues to get high marks for his
handling of the situation resulting from the attacks -- 88
percent approve, the same as one week ago in the Newsweek Poll --
and his job approval rating is 84 percent, nearly the same as one
week ago.
But the public still has more confidence in Secretary of State
Colin Powell to deal with the situation (75%) than Bush (65%) or
Vice President Dick Cheney (50%), the poll shows.
Just 55 percent now say the U.S. should take as long as necessary
to plan military action in response to the terrorist attacks of
Sept. 11, down from 63 percent a week ago in the Newsweek Poll.
And there was an increase in the number who say military action
should have already started: 24 percent, up from 18 percent one
week ago, the poll shows. Seventy-nine percent say another
terrorist attack on the United States is at least somewhat likely
(39% say very likely, up from 33 percent one week ago in the
poll).
Fifty-seven percent of Americans polled say President Bush's
proposed package of tax cuts and additional government spending
to stimulate the economy is about right; 21 percent say it goes
too far; 14 percent say it's not enough.
A 78-percent majority of those polled say the Democrats in
Congress have taken appropriate actions in the past month
regarding Bush and his policies; 10 percent say they've been too
quick to support the president and just six percent say they've
been too quick to oppose him.
The public is divided in its opinion on the impact of the U.S.
endorsing the idea of a Palestinian State, the poll shows.
Thirty-nine percent say, at this time, the U.S. should not favor
creating a Palestinian State, while 33 percent say it should.
Forty-three percent say if the U.S. endorses a Palestinian State,
it would make no difference in the effort to build a coalition to
fight terrorism; 35 percent say such an endorsement would help
fight terrorism and 11 percent say it would hurt the fight, the
poll shows.
Twenty-nine percent say the endorsement would hurt Israel, but 34
percent say it would make no difference to that country; just 24
percent say it would help Israel. Thirty-two percent say it would
make no difference to the Palestinian people; 38 percent say it
would help them. And a 47-percent plurality say it wouldn't make
a difference in the peace effort in the Middle East.
A 59-percent majority say it is very important that other Arab
countries formally recognize Israel's right to exist as an
independent state as Egypt and Jordan have done, the poll shows.
Another 27 percent say it is somewhat important.
Fifty-eight percent of those polled say moderate Muslim leaders
from other countries have failed to do enough to support the U.S.
and oppose terrorism since the Sept. 11 attacks; 58 percent say
the same about Saudi Arabia.
Forty-three percent say the same for Muslim leaders in the U.S.
and 42 percent say so for religious leaders in other countries
who are not Muslim, the poll shows. But 53 percent say the NATO
countries in Europe have done enough, the poll shows.
For this Newsweek Poll, Princeton Survey Research Associates
interviewed by telephone 1,002 adults aged 18 and older on
October 4-5, 2001. The margin of error is plus or minus 3
percentage points. This Newsweek Poll is part of the October 15
issue of Newsweek.
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tom watson tosiwmee |
