Public anxiety over US foreign policy

Increasingly anxious about the course of US foreign policy under President Bush, particularly in Iraq, the country appears to be moving toward a “full-blown crisis of public confidence,” according to the latest “Confidence in US Foreign Policy” survey designed by veteran pollster Daniel Yankelovich released April 3.

Among other findings, the survey, the fourth in a semi-annual series by the New York-based Public Agenda and the Council on Foreign Relations, found that nearly six in 10 respondents doubt the government is being honest with them about foreign policy — a 10-point increase from just six months ago. It also found a sharp rise — from 58 per cent to 67 per cent — in the belief that US foreign policy is “on the wrong track” and a similar increase in the percentage who “worry a lot” that the war in Iraq is leading to too many casualties.

The survey, conducted in late February and early March, also found a spectacular decline in confidence in the utility of military force to solve foreign policy challenges, such as the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction or terrorism. A 43-per cent plurality of respondents, for example, said that attacking countries that develop WMD would enhance national security “not at all.”

In dealing with Iran, in particular, 44 per cent of respondents said they preferred diplomacy to establish better relations, while 28 per cent opted for using economic sanctions. A mere 13 per cent said US should actually take military actions.

The Index features what it calls a “Foreign Policy Anxiety Indicator” based on respondents’ answers to questions like whether the world is becoming more or less dangerous to the US and how the rest of the world sees the US. On a scale of 0 to 200, where 0 connotes complete confidence and 200 panic, the findings six months ago fixed the indicator at 130. At that time, public dissatisfaction with Bush’s performance in Iraq had reached a “tipping point” that signalled major political consequences. Indeed, in November’s mid-term elections just a few weeks later, Democrats ousted Republicans from power in both houses of Congress. According to the latest survey, however, the indicator has risen to 137. The increase reflected the sharp rise in the number of respondents who said foreign policy is on the “wrong track” and more modest increases in those who rate US’s contribution to a more peaceful and prosperous world either “fair” or “poor” (73 per cent) and who described the world as becoming “more dangerous” (82 per cent).

Yankelovich said unhappiness with current foreign policy is so pervasive on so many different issues that “it’s almost as if the public is shaping its own foreign policy in opposition to official foreign policy.”

But the survey also found nearly as intense and pervasive popular support (72 per cent said “very important”) for “cooperating with other countries on problems like the environment or control of diseases.” Remarkably, 41 per cent of respondents said they worry “a lot” about global warming. Finally, the public favours strong efforts to reduce US dependence on foreign energy sources as one of the most effective ways to enhance US security. Although the Bush administration has claimed to break new ground in this direction, a 49-per cent plurality of respondents gave it failing grades. — IPS