US 'should mind own business'

2005-11-17 21:07

Washington - Concern about the US campaign in Iraq has led a growing number of Americans to believe that the United States should not meddle overseas, according to an opinion poll published on Thursday.

"The percentage of Americans who agree that the 'US should mind its own business internationally and let other countries get along the best they can on their own' has risen from 30% in 2002 to 42% currently," the poll, conducted by the Pew Research Centre in Washington, showed.

"This is on par with the percentage expressing that view during the mid-1970s, following the Vietnam War, and in the 1990s after the Cold War ended," it added.

The poll, based on interviews with some 2 500 average Americans and opinion leaders, showed that while the majority (52%) of those questioned believe US President George W Bush is doing a good job of handling terrorist threats, about half disapprove of his foreign policy and 57% disapprove of his handling of Iraq.

"Opinion leaders express deep doubts about the decision to go to war in Iraq, and most of them believe the war has undermined the struggle against terrorism," the survey report said.

It added that while most opinion leaders think the US will ultimately fail in its effort to create a stable democratic government in Iraq, a small majority of the public believes Washington will succeed on that front.

US less respected abroad

"If anything, the opinion leaders are much gloomier about Iraq's future than is the public," according to the survey report.

It noted that about four in 10 or more among those questioned believe Iraq will end up being divided into three countries representing the Shiite, Sunni and Kurdish populations.

The poll also found that more than half of Americans - 66% - believe the US is less respected abroad than in the past, mainly because of the Iraq war.

"Opinion leaders and the public overwhelmingly point to the war in Iraq as a major reason for discontent with the US around the world," the report said.

It added that while most of those questioned favour Bush's push for democracy in the Middle East as a means of repairing the tattered US image in the region, few think it will succeed.

The survey also found that a majority of opinion leaders as well as the general public attribute the fact that there has not been a terrorist attack in the United States since the September 11 attacks to pure luck.

"Just a third of the public says it is because the government has done a good job in protecting the country," according to the poll.

The survey, titled America's Place in the World, examines foreign policy attitudes in the United States and was carried out between September 5 and October 31.

- SAPA