America Speaks Out On War Against Terrorism Issues

Between December 14 and December 16, 2001, Ipsos Public Affairs interviewed a representative sample of 1,000 U.S. adults nationwide by telephone. The margin of error is +/- 3.1%.

58% OF AMERICANS AGREE WITH PRESIDENT BUSH'S DECISION TO WITHDRAW FROM ABM TREATY; 31% DISAGREE

Nearly twice as many Americans agree with President Bush's decision to withdraw from the ABM treaty than disagree. One-in-three Americans (33%) strongly agree with President Bush's decision. "These results show that President Bush continues to receive support from the American public for his foreign policy initiatives," reports Thomas Riehle, President of Ipsos Public Affairs in the U.S. "President Bush," Riehle adds, "however, does not receive the bipartisan support on this issue that he has on other foreign policy matters. Although 4-in-5 Republicans (79%) agree with President Bush on this issue, only half of all Independents (48%) and 2-in-5 Democrats (41%) say they agree with the President on his decision to withdraw from the ABM treaty."

51% OF AMERICANS SAY U.S. SHOULD SUPPORT ISRAEL IN ITS MILITARY EFFORTS TO DEFEAT TERRORISM IN MIDDLE EAST

A majority of Americans (51%) say that the U.S. should support Israel in its military efforts to defeat terrorism, whereas nearly 2-in-5 Americans (38%) say that the U.S. should not take sides, in order to negotiate peace between Israel and the Palestinians. "Overall, Americans narrowly favor the U.S. taking sides with Israel over remaining neutral so it can serve as peace broker," reports Thomas Riehle, President of Ipsos Public Affairs in the U.S.

Republicans feel that Israel is clearly in a crisis situation that requires a forceful response, and by a 2-to-1 margin say the U.S. should support Israel's military efforts to defeat terrorism (61%) rather than remain neutral (32%). Among Democrats, however, the issue is less clear cut; 47% say that the U.S. should support Israel's military efforts, whereas 45% say the U.S. should remain independent of the two sides. Those who identify themselves as an Independent are also split, with 38% saying the U.S. should support Israel's military efforts, 41% saying that the U.S. should remain neutral and 21% saying the U.S position should be either neither of the two options or they don't know. There are racial differences as well. Of those who identify themselves as white, 53% say they support the U.S. siding with Israel, whereas 37% say they support the U.S. not taking sides. Those who identify themselves as non-white, however, are more likely to say that the U.S. should remain neutral (50%) than the U.S. should support Israel's military efforts (43%).

72% OF AMERICANS THINK THERE WILL BE FURTHER TERRORIST ATTACKS ON U.S. SITES; ONLY 6% OF AMERICANS SAY THAT MANY TERRORIST ACTS WILL SUCCEED

"With the success of America's war against Al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan, Americans are markedly less concerned than they were just two months ago when it comes to the threat of new terrorist attacks on U.S. sites," reports Thomas Riehle, President of Ipsos Public Affairs in the U.S. "Whereas almost all Americans (92%) expected further terrorist attempts two months ago, today less than three-in-four (72%) Americans expect further attempts. That's still a strong majority, but not the consensus of fear that was felt shortly after the attacks of 9/11. Furthermore, only 6% of Americans expect many terrorist acts to succeed, down from 10% of Americans two months ago," says Riehle. "A strong majority of Americans are still worried about further terrorist attempts, but the everyday anxiety has begun to fade for many Americans."

74% OF AMERICANS THINK THAT THE U.S. SHOULD TRY TO REMOVE SADDAM HUSSEIN FROM POWER IN IRAQ

As the war in Afghanistan comes to an apparent end, President Bush may turn his attention to removing Saddam Hussein from power in Iraq. Support for this action has not eroded during the war in Afghanistan, as 3-in-4 Americans (74%) continue to say that the U.S. should try to remove Hussein from power. These results are consistent across the board. Men (75%) and women (74%) agree that the U.S. should try to remove Saddam from power. Similarly, both Republicans (80%) and Democrats (73%) feel the U.S. should turn its attention to getting Hussein out of Iraq. "If President Bush is looking for an issue that will continue to unite American support, he may need to look no further than to his father's former nemesis, and it's clear that the American public wants him to finish the job that his father started" says Thomas Riehle, President of Ipsos Public Affairs in the U.S.

62% OF AMERICANS THINK AMERICAN TALIBAN JOHN WALKER SHOULD BE TRIED IN U.S. RATHER THAN IN AFGHANISTAN

By more than a two-to-one margin, Americans believe that John Walker, the American captured in Afghanistan fighting for the Taliban, should be tried in the U.S (62%) rather than in Afghanistan (27%). "Americans clearly want John Walker to return to the U.S. to face his peers and to explain his actions," reports Thomas Riehle, President of Ipsos Public Affairs in the U.S. Women (68%) are more likely than men (56%), and Democrats (68%) are more likely than Republicans (61%) to say that Walker should be tried in the U.S.

Ipsos Public Affairs conducts research on behalf of corporations, governments, industry and professional associations, and the not-for-profit sector in the areas of corporate reputation and issues management on a local and global scale.

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Contact: Thomas Riehle, President Ipsos-Reid U.S. Public Affairs Telephone 202.463.7300 [email protected]