2006-08-16-皮尤-American_Attitudes_Hold_Steady_in_Face_of_Foreign_Crises_49页_137kb

Summary of American Attitudes in August 2006

Core Content

The Pew Research Center's national survey conducted in late August 2006 reveals that American public opinion remains largely unchanged despite major foreign crises, including the reported terrorist plot against U.S. trans-Atlantic flights, the war in Lebanon, and ongoing violence in Iraq. The focus on these events has not led to a significant shift in attitudes toward terrorism, support for Israel, or views on the Iraq war.

Main Points

1. Support for Israel Remains Strong

• Public sympathy for Israel has increased, with 52% now sympathizing more with Israel than the Palestinians, up from 44% in July.
• 44% approve of the U.S. supporting Israel in the conflict, while 8% want the U.S. to criticize Israel, and 38% prefer saying or doing nothing.
• 63% believe Hezbollah is committed to Israel's destruction, while only 15% think it could be accommodated with Israel.
• 45% approve of Israel's military actions in Lebanon, 33% disapprove, and 21% think Israel is most responsible for civilian casualties.

2. No Major Shift in Attitudes Toward the Iraq War

• Public opinion on the Iraq war remains polarized, with 45% thinking the decision to use military force was right and 46% thinking it was wrong.
• 48% support keeping troops in Iraq until stability is achieved, and 46% favor bringing them home as soon as possible.
• 52% believe there should be a timetable for troop withdrawal, while 41% oppose it.
• 55% say the U.S. military effort is going "not too well" or "not at all well," the highest negative sentiment since the war began in 2003.
• 63% of Republicans believe the U.S. is losing ground in preventing a civil war in Iraq, compared to 45% of Democrats.

3. Partisan Divisions in the U.S. Approach to the Conflict

• Republicans are more supportive of U.S. involvement in the Israel-Hezbollah conflict, with 54% favoring public support for Israel, compared to 31% of Democrats.
• Democrats are more likely to want the U.S. to be less involved, with 44% saying the U.S. should say or do nothing, and 36% saying it should be less involved.
• Moderate and liberal Republicans are more likely to favor troop withdrawal than conservative Republicans, with 35% vs. 18% respectively.
• Democrats are more unified in favoring troop withdrawal, with 66% of conservative and moderate Democrats and 62% of liberal Democrats supporting it.

4. Terrorism Concerns Remain Stable

• Despite the revelation of the terror plot against U.S. airliners, 50% of Americans approve of the president's handling of terrorism, a slight increase from 47% in June.
• 25% say they are "very worried" about another terrorist attack on the U.S., a small rise from 17% before the news broke.
• Terrorism is not the top issue Americans want to hear candidates discuss, with 2% citing it, compared to 15% for education and 12% for gas prices.

5. Public Awareness and Media Coverage

• Americans are more aware of Mel Gibson's anti-Semitic remarks than of Joe Lieberman's primary loss, with 69% naming Gibson correctly.
• 61% believe press coverage of the Lebanon conflict has been fair, and 47% think the amount of coverage has been appropriate.
• 40% of Americans say they followed the Lebanon crisis very closely, similar to the 41% who followed the Iraq war.

6. Ongoing Pessimism About the Iraq Conflict

• The public is more pessimistic about the U.S. ability to establish a stable democracy in Iraq, with 12% saying it will definitely succeed and 35% saying it will probably succeed.
• 63% think the U.S. is losing ground in preventing a civil war, while 58% believe the U.S. is making progress in training Iraqi security forces.
• Democrat views are more negative across all aspects of the war, while Republican views are more optimistic.

Key Information

• President Bush's job approval rating remains at 37%, unchanged from July.
• Public concern about the president's leadership is high, with 54% disapproving and 46% saying he is not a strong leader.
• Iraq is the most discussed foreign issue, with 41% following it very closely.
• Gas prices are the most closely followed domestic issue, with 60% paying attention.
• Terrorism is not a major concern for voters, with only 2% citing it as the top issue to discuss.
• Hezbollah is widely seen as the aggressor in the Lebanon conflict, with 42% blaming it, compared to 12% blaming Israel.
• Public opinion on the war is highly divided along partisan lines, with little change in the overall stance since 2005.

Conclusion

The survey highlights a consistent pattern of partisan polarization in American attitudes toward the Middle East and the Iraq war. While support for Israel has increased, public concern about terrorism has not surged, and opinions on the Iraq war remain split. The U.S. media's role in shaping public understanding is noted, but the general public remains more informed about domestic issues than international ones.