gallup.com
Public Support for U.S. Involvement in Yugoslavia Lower
Than for Gulf War, Other Foreign Engagements
by Frank Newport
GALLUP NEWS SERVICE
Public support for U.S. involvement in the Yugoslavian conflict is at the low end
of the historical spectrum when compared to public opinion about other U.S.
foreign interventions of the past two decades.
Each situation overseas in which the U.S. is involved is unique, and the questions
asked by Gallup over the years tend to vary to take into account the particular
facets of each engagement. In general, however, it is clear that several U.S. military
campaigns of this decade have engendered initial public reaction which is much
more supportive than the initial reaction being given to the current Yugoslavian
mission. At the same time, other U.S. military interventions, particularly those
involving ground troops, have generated about the same level of support as the
current situation.
The latest CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll on Kosovo, conducted late last week,
indicates that 50% of Americans favor U.S. participation in the NATO air attacks
against Serbian positions, while 39 % oppose them, with the rest having no
opinion.
Fairly close comparisons can be made to two other air strikes in which the U.S.
participated during 1998 and for which support was significantly higher. These
include strikes against terrorist positions in Afghanistan and Sudan in August of
last year, for which approval was 66%, and additional strikes against Saddam
Hussein in Iraq last December, for which support was even higher, at 74%.
The military engagement with the highest public approval of the last two decades
was the Persian Gulf War of 1991. About 80% of the U.S. public approved of the
initiation of the air attacks in January of 1991, and a slightly higher percentage
approved of the initiation of the ground war a month later. The Iraqi situation, of
course, had a much more highly publicized build-up than the current Kosovo
situation, with half a million troops having been moved into Saudi Arabia in the
months leading up to the actual beginning of hostilities per se, as well as highly
publicized UN and congressional resolutions, and an extraordinary amount of
preinvasion discussion and justification by then-President George Bush and other
government officials.
On the other hand, in a number of different situations-primarily involving the
actual introduction of U.S. troops-there have been levels of support more in line
with the current support for the Yugoslavian air strikes. In 1982, only about half of
the public approved of the sending of U.S. troops to Beirut, Lebanon, and about
the same percentage approved of the U.S. invasion of Grenada in 1983. In 1994,
only 46% of Americans initially approved of U.S. troops being moved to Haiti.
Particularly germane to the current situation is the fact that only 41% of the public
approved the introduction of U.S. troops into Bosnia for a peacekeeping role in
1995. That percentage has risen slightly since that time, to 53% in January of last
year, but the relatively low levels of support for this role, coupled with the 50%
approval of the current U.S. air involvement against the Serbian military, may
suggest that Americans have a generally cautious attitude about any involvement
in the Balkans region of the world.
For results based on the March 25, 1999 sample of national adults (N=675) the
margin of sampling error is ±4 percentage points. Polls conducted entirely in one
day are subject to additional error or bias not found in polls conducted over
several days.
As you may know, yesterday the military alliance of Western countries called
NATO, launched air and missile attacks against Serbian military targets in
Yugoslavia. Do you favor or oppose the United States being a part of that
military action
Favor
Oppose
No opinion
99 Mar 25
50%
39%
11%
99 Mar 19-21^
46
43
11
99 Feb 19-21^
43
45
12
98 Oct 9-12**
42
41
17
^ Question Wording: "If a peace agreement is not reached between the
Yugoslavian Serbs and Kosovo's ethnic Albanian majority, NATO has said it
would carry out air and missile attacks against Serb military installations. Would
you favor or oppose the U.S. being a part of that military action?
** Question Wording: "Based on what you have read or heard, do you think the
United States and its Western European allies should or should not conduct
military air strikes against the Serbian forces in Kosovo?
For results based on the December 16, 1998 sample of national adults (N=543) the
margin of sampling error is ±5 percentage points
As you may know, the United Nations chief weapons inspector has reported that
Iraq has not complied with its agreement to allow United Nations inspections of
possible weapons facilities. In response, the United States and Britain have
launched an air attack against Iraq this evening. Do you approve or disapprove
of this attack?
Approve
Disapprove
No Opinion
98 Dec 16
74%
13%
13%
98 Aug 20**
66
19
15
**Question Wording: As you may know, earlier today the United States launched
military attacks against terrorist facilities in the countries of Afghanistan and the
Sudan. Do you approve or disapprove of those attacks?
For results based on the January 16, 1991 sample of national adults (N=895) the
margin of sampling error is ±4 percentage points
Do you approve or disapprove of the U.S. decision today to go to war with Iraq
in order to drive the Iraqis out of Kuwait?
Approve
Disapprove
No Opinion
91 Jan 16
79%
15%
6%
Do you approve or disapprove of the U.S. decision to start the ground war
against the Iraqis in Kuwait?
Approve
Disapprove
No Opinion
91 Feb 24
84%
11%
5%
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