Differences in Attitudes on Attacking Iraq
March 11 2003
While Americans are far from gung-ho about attacking Iraq, they are much more supportive of doing so than are the British and the Canadians, according to a new Harris Poll conducted in these three countries.
Furthermore, a majority of Americans (58%) are at least somewhat confident that President Bush 'will make the right decisions regarding the use or non-use of the U.S. military to attack Iraq.' Most people in Great Britain (69%) and Canada (63%) have little or no confidence that he will do so.
While there are big differences among the three countries on what should be done, there is widespread agreement on the threat posed by Iraq. The disagreements are about how to deal with the threat.
The main findings of this research include:
- Majorities in all three countries believe Iraq has or is making nuclear, chemical or biological weapons. More Americans (80%) than Britons (73%) or Canadians (69%) believe this.
- Only quite small minorities in all three countries believe the U.N. weapons inspectors will find Iraq's weapons of mass destruction if they exist (20% in the U.S., 29% in Great Britain. and 31% in Canada).
- Majorities in all three countries believe there is at least some link between Saddam Hussein and Al Qaeda, even though most people do not think there is a close link. Americans (78%) are more likely than Britons (61%) or Canadians (65%) to believe there is some linkage.
- While only minorities in all three countries favour 'attacking Iraq in the next month or so unless Iraq proves it does not have nuclear, chemical or biological weapons,' many more people favour this in the U.S. (40%) than in Britain (22%) or Canada (20%).
- Furthermore, a 45% to 36% plurality of Americans favours attacking Iraq 'if President Bush believes Saddam Hussein is hiding weapons of mass destruction but the U.N. weapons inspectors can't find any and the United Nations does not vote to approve an attack.' Under these circumstances majorities in both Britain (by 59% to 27%) and Canada (by 65% to 22%) would oppose attacking Iraq.
- Americans are the least likely to think the U.S. should allow the U.N. weapons inspectors more time to look for weapons of mass destruction. Most Americans (55%) think the President should allow three months or less. Only 45% in Britain and 41% in Canada think that a decision should be made on whether or not to attack Iraq in the next three months.
- President Bush's greatest weakness is found among majorities in all three countries, but the numbers are much worse outside the U.S. 80% of Britons and 75% of Canadians think President Bush wants a military attack and would prefer that over achieving his goals by peaceful means. In the U.S. a more modest 52% to 42% majority believes this is true.
This research is based on interviews conducted with 2,201 adults in the U.S., 1,400 adults in Britain and 1,545 adults in Canada who were surveyed between February 19 and February 27, 2003.
All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas unless otherwise stated.
