More support for an Iran strike than you probably thought
The Israel Project released a poll this afternoon finding that 55 percent of Americans would approve of the "United States and its allies making targeted conventional military strikes against Iran's nuclear weapons facilities" – a surprisingly high number considering the opposition generated by the war in Iraq.
At a press conference announcing the findings – which technically were 33 percent strongly approving and an additional 22 percent somewhat approving – pollster Frank Luntz suggested that the reason was simply that "Iran scares people."
"He is the most frightening world leader," said Luntz of Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and Americans are disturbed by his threats.
An Israeli attack on Iranian nuclear facilities is less popular among Americans, with only 43 percent approving and 48 percent disapproving. But if economic and diplomatic sanctions fail and Iran acquires nuclear capability, the approval number rises to 63 percent.
Still, there was a great deal of support for diplomacy, with 62 percent saying an "opportunity for a diplomatic solution still exists."
Luntz also presented research on the language of the presidential candidates on Iran and Israel. Using a technique he is frequently seen utilizing on cable television news channels, focus groups turn a dial in a positive or negative direction to signal their opinion on the words being said by the candidate.
He showed the groups of voters, half leaning Republican and half leaning Democrat, portions of the candidates' speeches at this year's AIPAC policy conference. He noted that voters partcularly like when candidates present specific details on the Iranian threat, as Barack Obama did in his speech. He said that Hillary Clinton's strong statement of "no nuclear weapons for Iran" received over 90 percent approval from both sides of the aisle – something he had never seen before. And he said John McCain gets significantly lower numbers from Democrats than Republicans when he talks about Iran because "he reminds them of George W. Bush."
The survey of 800 likely voters was conducted by telephone in late July by Neil Newhouse of Public Opinion Strategies and Stan Greenberg of Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research. The margin of error was plus or minus 3.5 percent.
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This is a case of “Damned if you do and damned if you don’t!” scenario. If the attack goes ahead on Iran it will trigger off a lot more than the west bargined for. Sleeper cells will do their worst in American and european cities. A large number of people will die and our quality of life will be bedlam. That is my humble opinion.
USA wants to be the sherrif of the world.Why is it always on the violent side?why does it support opposition parties in Africa?why does it think it knows all?Shame on USA.Shame on the Americans!USA WILL NEVER SUCCEED IN CONTROLLING THE WORLD.ZIM HAS DEALT YOU A MAJOR BLOW!!LONG LIVE PRESIDENT MUGABE!!LONG LIVE IRAN!!LONG LIVE SADDAM’S SPIRIT!!SHORT LIVE BUSH.
Luntz...."Iran scares people” ah, call me crazy but it doesn’t seem like a good reason to to create even more chaos in the middle east.
Complete bullsh*t! Americans could care less about that Iran’s president. Why would America be scared of a weak country like Iran?
Give it warmongerers!
I question the integrity of this poll, unless the sample population was strictly from Brooklyn, NY there is no way the general public will support a war with Iran. A country that has not attacked anyone in nearly 500 years. The view point of the Iranian president is blown out of proportion, it is to serve two purposes, the first is to take attention away from his failing domestic policies the second is to reinforce the fact that Zionism (not Judaism) shall not be tolerated in the Middle East.
Why is Israel always wants to fight with with Iran and palstinian, they have done nothing to Israel nation.It may be they dont know that it was Germany who killed 6000.000 jaws. But it seems that was ok with Israel, because they are in very good relation with each other. and now plastine who has done nothing to you, and you occupied their land and you killed their family and killing everyday those poor people.
and now you want to fight Iran (BAD NEWS)
I completely agree with Hamid.
A country which lacks sufficient knowledge in history and politics, pollsters should quit surveying for inaccurate and worthless public opinion.
people, bombing Iran will unleash the devil like never before. Grab food and a blanket and head for the woods if Iran gets bombed.
If the US does attack Iran, It will only be to divert attention from a US invasion in Russia, or something along that line. We have the technology and the weapons to completely destroy the world… we could of sent a CIA or NSA agent and had Sadam assasinated, totally undetected. but we decide to bring in some of our most out of date and worthless equipment to put on a charade to cover up… what? but we will find out! (12-21-2012)
Amazing!!! Antisemites and leftists (insofar as the two categories remain distinguishable in this day and age) seem to have glommed on to the JTA and unburdened themselves of puerile exegesis consisting of ignorance on steroids. For my part, I find the Luntz numbers more interesting on their face than anything which has followed as commentary on the site where they are displayed. The Luntz survey seems to signify that when the time comes - as it assuredly will - where a decision has to be made concerning bombing Iranian nuclear weapons facilities, an American President with the courage to make the right decision (necessarily bucking some of the prominent uniformed service bureaucrats and striped pants Arabists in the State Department) will enjoy sufficient public support going in to see the mission through. Too bad that only one candidate presents the character to be up to the task.
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Hass
08/28/08 10:14 AM
The Israel Project has been lobbying for a war on Iran for year or more.