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http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2007Aug29/0,4670,InterveningAbroadAPPoll,00.html
8-Nation Poll Says Limit Troops Abroad
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
WASHINGTON - People in the U.S., Britain and six other countries showed
little taste for stepping up the role their nations' troops play in overseas
crises, but seemed more open to other types of involvement abroad, according
to an Associated Press-Ipsos poll.
In each country surveyed, only about one in 10 said they believe their
government does not send its military frequently enough to trouble spots.
Roughly eight in 10 said their leaders send forces abroad either as often as
they should or too frequently, according to the poll, which also sampled
attitudes in Canada, South Korea, France, Germany, Italy and Spain.
When it came to their country's role in world affairs in general, however,
only in the U.S. and Britain did about half or more say their government was
too involved. In the others, at least three of four said their government
was either not doing enough or was doing what it should.
Every country in the survey has forces in Afghanistan, while the U.S. and
Britain have troops in Iraq as well.
"Italy is not making enough of an important mark on international politics,"
said Maria Verrone, 46, an architect from Florence, Italy, who was visiting
Rome. "We have a strong economy to back us, what are we waiting for?"
The survey was conducted in mid- to late May as the war in Iraq was
beginning its fourth year and NATO allies were facing a springtime upsurge
in violence in Afghanistan. Since then, events have transpired that could
have changed some peoples' views about their countries' roles in foreign
affairs, such as the taking of South Korean hostages in Afghanistan and the
ascension of new leaders in Britain and France.
"Too much," said David Champ, 57, a plasterer from Redkey, Ind., as he
walked the National Mall in the heart of Washington, D.C. "We're not the
peacekeepers of the world, but a lot of Americans think we are."
In Paris, Louise Cors, 53, said military missions abroad are "a bad idea,"
adding, "We have lost a lot of credit in our foreign diplomacy."
In the U.S., Britain and Germany, more than half said their country
intervenes militarily too frequently. Elsewhere, more said their government
was dispatching troops properly, though Italians were about evenly split
between that and saying they are sent too often.
When asked about their country's involvement in world affairs in general, 55
percent in the U.S. and 48 percent in Britain said their country does too
much. Nowhere else was that sentiment as strong _ the next closest was
Germany, where 22 percent said they felt that way.
In the U.S., Britain, Germany and France, majorities said they believe their
country is viewed by others as a strong force in world affairs. Sixty-nine
percent in the U.S. said that, while 84 percent in South Korea said they
believed their nation is seen as weak _ the highest such figures in the
poll.
In general, those who saw too much military involvement by their country
were likelier to be female and older people. Better educated people in
France were likelier to think their nation has a strong image abroad, while
in South Korea the lesser educated more often felt that way.
In the U.S., Republicans were far more likely than Democrats to approve of
the country's overseas involvements, a reflection of partisan splits over
President Bush's policies. Seventy percent of Democrats said the U.S. sends
military forces to trouble spots too often, compared to 32 percent of
Republicans and 51 percent of independents.
Taliban fighters captured 23 South Korean church volunteers last month in
Afghanistan. They agreed Tuesday to release the remaining 19 after Seoul
reiterated it will remove its 200 troops from Afghanistan by the end of the
year and keep missionaries from working there.
Gordon Brown has replaced Tony Blair as British prime minister and has been
reducing his country's role in Iraq while increasing its presence in
Afghanistan. New French President Nicolas Sarkozy wants to boost France's
role abroad and is interested in strengthening ties with the U.S. that were
frayed by his country's opposition to the Iraq war.
The poll involved telephone interviews with 1,000 people in each country
except for 960 in Italy, 968 in France and 1,001 in Germany. The margin of
sampling error for each country was plus or minus 3 percentage points.
8-Nation Poll Says Limit Troops Abroad
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
WASHINGTON - People in the U.S., Britain and six other countries showed
little taste for stepping up the role their nations' troops play in overseas
crises, but seemed more open to other types of involvement abroad, according
to an Associated Press-Ipsos poll.
In each country surveyed, only about one in 10 said they believe their
government does not send its military frequently enough to trouble spots.
Roughly eight in 10 said their leaders send forces abroad either as often as
they should or too frequently, according to the poll, which also sampled
attitudes in Canada, South Korea, France, Germany, Italy and Spain.
When it came to their country's role in world affairs in general, however,
only in the U.S. and Britain did about half or more say their government was
too involved. In the others, at least three of four said their government
was either not doing enough or was doing what it should.
Every country in the survey has forces in Afghanistan, while the U.S. and
Britain have troops in Iraq as well.
"Italy is not making enough of an important mark on international politics,"
said Maria Verrone, 46, an architect from Florence, Italy, who was visiting
Rome. "We have a strong economy to back us, what are we waiting for?"
The survey was conducted in mid- to late May as the war in Iraq was
beginning its fourth year and NATO allies were facing a springtime upsurge
in violence in Afghanistan. Since then, events have transpired that could
have changed some peoples' views about their countries' roles in foreign
affairs, such as the taking of South Korean hostages in Afghanistan and the
ascension of new leaders in Britain and France.
"Too much," said David Champ, 57, a plasterer from Redkey, Ind., as he
walked the National Mall in the heart of Washington, D.C. "We're not the
peacekeepers of the world, but a lot of Americans think we are."
In Paris, Louise Cors, 53, said military missions abroad are "a bad idea,"
adding, "We have lost a lot of credit in our foreign diplomacy."
In the U.S., Britain and Germany, more than half said their country
intervenes militarily too frequently. Elsewhere, more said their government
was dispatching troops properly, though Italians were about evenly split
between that and saying they are sent too often.
When asked about their country's involvement in world affairs in general, 55
percent in the U.S. and 48 percent in Britain said their country does too
much. Nowhere else was that sentiment as strong _ the next closest was
Germany, where 22 percent said they felt that way.
In the U.S., Britain, Germany and France, majorities said they believe their
country is viewed by others as a strong force in world affairs. Sixty-nine
percent in the U.S. said that, while 84 percent in South Korea said they
believed their nation is seen as weak _ the highest such figures in the
poll.
In general, those who saw too much military involvement by their country
were likelier to be female and older people. Better educated people in
France were likelier to think their nation has a strong image abroad, while
in South Korea the lesser educated more often felt that way.
In the U.S., Republicans were far more likely than Democrats to approve of
the country's overseas involvements, a reflection of partisan splits over
President Bush's policies. Seventy percent of Democrats said the U.S. sends
military forces to trouble spots too often, compared to 32 percent of
Republicans and 51 percent of independents.
Taliban fighters captured 23 South Korean church volunteers last month in
Afghanistan. They agreed Tuesday to release the remaining 19 after Seoul
reiterated it will remove its 200 troops from Afghanistan by the end of the
year and keep missionaries from working there.
Gordon Brown has replaced Tony Blair as British prime minister and has been
reducing his country's role in Iraq while increasing its presence in
Afghanistan. New French President Nicolas Sarkozy wants to boost France's
role abroad and is interested in strengthening ties with the U.S. that were
frayed by his country's opposition to the Iraq war.
The poll involved telephone interviews with 1,000 people in each country
except for 960 in Italy, 968 in France and 1,001 in Germany. The margin of
sampling error for each country was plus or minus 3 percentage points.
