Iran fires a missile from a submarine during an exercise in the Persian Gulf in 2008
Just over half of Americans support a military attack on Iran by the United States and its allies if Teheran doesn't halt its nuclear program, according to a new poll by The Israel Project.
In such a scenario, 51% of Americans would support targeted military strikes and 44% would oppose them.
Fewer of those polled, however, would support Israel taking such action on its own, by a split of 42% to 49%.
However, should Israel go ahead and attack Iran anyway, and then
came under retaliatory attack from Iran, a strong majority said the US
should lend military defense. In that case 61% said the US should help
Israel in that event (with 32% opposed). The number jumped to 68% (with
29% opposed) if Israel comes under attack from Iranian proxies
Hizbullah and Hamas.
"That's a very big number at a time when America's
involved in two wars that are fairly unpopular with the American
people," said Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi, referring to American backing
for entering a potential conflict with Iran on behalf of Israel.
Those surveyed were skeptical that engagement and negotiations,
or even multilateral sanctions, would halt Iran's nuclear program. Only
40% said there was some or even a good chance those would work, with
59% giving them little or no chance. The skepticism increased if the US
alone imposed sanctions.
Still, that path was still favored over force.
Twenty-one percent said increased economic sanctions were the best
approach for now, with 19% saying increased diplomatic pressure, 17%
giving direct negotiations with Iran and 13% choosing US military
action.
"While Americans' first choice is diplomacy and sanctions,
Americans take the Iranian threat seriously and are prepared to back
that with difficult choices and real action if needed," assessed Neil
Newhouse, the Republican half of the bipartisan team that conducted the
poll.
Democratic pollster Stanley Greenberg, the other half of the
polling team, explained, "Americans want intensified sanctions and
support for Iran's domestic opponents, but Iran's response to the
elections and the international community leave them very skeptical
about the ability to deter Iran from pursuing nuclear weapons."
Whichever approach is taken, those polled stated emphatically
that they want their elected officials focused on the issue. Some 78%
agreed with the statement that "even with all the problems that America
faces at home now, we must still work hard to stop Iran from getting
nuclear weapons."
The surveys were conducted last Monday through Wednesday of 800 registered voters and had a +/- 3.5 percent margin of error.
(Original News)
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