Poll: Majority of Americans Oppose Strike on Syria
A new poll by Reuters-Ipsos released on Monday shows that a majority of Americans are opposed to US military strikes on Syria.
The poll, conducted September 5 to 9, indicates that 63 percent of Americans oppose attacking Syria, up from 53 percent in a survey that ended August 30.
As appetite for a military strike on Syria grows in Washington, the poll found that just 16 percent of Americans said the United States should get involved - down from 20 percent on August 30.
This latest poll is further evidence that Americans are increasingly reluctant to get involved in another war after more than a decade of war in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"The American public has very little appetite for intervention of any kind, anywhere," said Ipsos pollster Julia Clark.
She added that as Americans become more informed about the ongoing conflict in Syria, "they become increasingly opposed" to US intervention.
President Barack Obama is hitting the airwaves on Monday and Tuesday to make another attempt in convincing war-weary Americans that military action against Syria is needed.
Clark said that Obama’s interviews and speeches will not change public opinion. "There is never going to be a majority shift for intervention. ... The margin (opposing involvement in Syria) is just too large."
She added that another factor in the public’s growing opposition to a war is due to the negative view Americans have of politicians.
"When we do policy polling on any issue, when you begin to introduce the politicians and legislators - everybody becomes more negative," Clark said.
Another poll, conducted by CNN/ORC International and released on Monday, has found that more than seven in 10 say it is not in the national interest for the US to get militarily involved in Syria.
The Obama administration is pushing for military action against Syria over accusations that Damascus used chemical weapons against foreign-backed militants last month.
Source: Press TV
As appetite for a military strike on Syria grows in Washington, the poll found that just 16 percent of Americans said the United States should get involved - down from 20 percent on August 30.
This latest poll is further evidence that Americans are increasingly reluctant to get involved in another war after more than a decade of war in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"The American public has very little appetite for intervention of any kind, anywhere," said Ipsos pollster Julia Clark.
She added that as Americans become more informed about the ongoing conflict in Syria, "they become increasingly opposed" to US intervention.
President Barack Obama is hitting the airwaves on Monday and Tuesday to make another attempt in convincing war-weary Americans that military action against Syria is needed.
Clark said that Obama’s interviews and speeches will not change public opinion. "There is never going to be a majority shift for intervention. ... The margin (opposing involvement in Syria) is just too large."
She added that another factor in the public’s growing opposition to a war is due to the negative view Americans have of politicians.
"When we do policy polling on any issue, when you begin to introduce the politicians and legislators - everybody becomes more negative," Clark said.
Another poll, conducted by CNN/ORC International and released on Monday, has found that more than seven in 10 say it is not in the national interest for the US to get militarily involved in Syria.
The Obama administration is pushing for military action against Syria over accusations that Damascus used chemical weapons against foreign-backed militants last month.
Source: Press TV
