INTERNATIONAL REACTION TO THE U.S.-LED MILITARY ATTACK AGAINST IRAQ

INTERNATIONAL REACTION TO THE U.S.-LED MILITARY ATTACK AGAINST IRAQ

MAJORITY (56%) APPROVE OF MILITARY ATTACK ON IRAQ

54% SAY THREAT OF WEAPONS MAIN REASON FOR TIMING OF ATTACK

73% FEEL CLINTON SHOULD NOT BE REMOVED FROM OFFICE

These results emerged from an international public opinion survey conducted by the Angus Reid Group on behalf of CNN. This poll involved interviews with a total of 3,099 adults in 8 countries and the city of Moscow. Data collection was carried out from December 18th through December 21st, 1998.

The target sample size was 300 in each location, with the exception of a 500 sample size in France and Germany. The margin of error associated with sample sizes of 300 and 500, assuming a confidence level of 95 percent, is 1775.7 and 1774.4 percentage points, respectively. The total survey sample size of 3,099 has an associated margin of error of 1771.8 percentage points, nineteen times out of twenty. A fully representative national sample of telephone surveys was employed in each of Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Israel. In addition, 300 telephone interviews were conducted in the city of Moscow.

The Angus Reid Group is Canada's premier market research and public opinion polling firm with offices across Canada and the United States. The company also publishes, on a quarterly basis, The World Monitor, a digest of public opinion trends and insights gleaned from interviews in upwards of 30 countries.

These results emerged from an international public opinion survey conducted by the Angus Reid Group on behalf of CNN. This poll involved interviews with a total of 3,099 adults in 8 countries. Data collection was carried out from December 18th through December 21st, 1998. A sample size of 3,099 has an associated margin of error of 1771.8 percentage points, nineteen times out of twenty. This margin of error is larger within each of the individual countries in which data was collected.

Respondents were asked whether they approve or disapprove of the military attack on Iraq, and what they think was the main reason behind the timing of the attack: the threat of Iraq's weapons or U.S. President Clinton's impeachment issue. A third question asked respondents whether or not they think Bill Clinton should, in accordance with the U.S. Congress vote to impeach him, be removed as President of the United States before his term of office is complete.

The key highlights of this research are as follows:

Highest Approval in Israel (83%), Followed by the U.S. (76%)

Internationally, a majority (56%) approve of the U.S.-led military attack on Iraq. One third (36%) disapprove, while the remaining eight percent "don't know".

• Approval of the military attack is highest in Israel (83%) and the United States (76%). In Canada (60%) and the United Kingdom (61%), approval sits at six in ten.
• Disapproval is highest in the city of Moscow at 82 percent. While still a majority, disapproval is not as strong in Italy (57%), Japan (53%) and France (52%).
• In Germany, residents are more evenly divided on their levels of approval (46%) and disapproval (41%).

63% of U.S. Residents Blame Threat of Iraq's Weapons - Not Clinton's Impeachment Vote

With the exceptions of Japan and Moscow, there is an international consensus that the threat of Iraq's chemical and other weapons, and not an attempt to divert attention from his impeachment issue, was President Clinton's main reason for the timing of the attack.

• Overall, 54 percent say "the attack was done now because Iraq's chemical and other weapons build-up was a threat to peace". This opinion is that of the majority in Canada (57%), Germany (59%), Israel (59%), France (54%), Italy (51%), the United Kingdom (57%), and the United States (63%).
• One third (36%), on the other hand, say "the attack was done now because of U.S. President Bill Clinton's problems with the impeachment issue". This is the majority opinion in the city of Moscow (56%), and in Japan (52%).
• Significantly, overall 11 percent of respondents were unable to chose which issue they would cite as the main reason behind the timing of the attack. This figure is even higher in Italy (19%) and the city of Moscow (22%).

70% of Americans Do Not Want Clinton Removed - the Remaining G7 Countries Agree

Overall, three quarters (73%) of respondents do not want Bill Clinton to be removed as President of the United States before his term of office is complete. This is the leading opinion in each of the 8 countries and the city of Moscow where data was collected. Only one in five (22%) feel he should be removed from office, while the remaining 6 percent "don't know".

• Residents of Israel (86%) most strongly oppose removing Clinton from office prior to the end of his term, followed closely by France (83%), Germany (82%) and Italy (79%).
• The Japanese are on par with the international average, with 72 percent opposed to removing Clinton from office - slightly ahead of U.S. citizens at 70 percent.
• Six in ten in Canada (65%) and the United Kingdom (63%) do not want to see Clinton's term come to a premature end.

For further information, please contact:

Dr. Darrell Bricker Executive Vice-President Angus Reid Group (416) 324-2900