CCFR:  "Three years after the September 11 attacks of 2001, terrorism and other security threats still loom large in the public’s mind. However, there is a lowered sense of threat overall compared to 2002, and the domestic concern of protecting American jobs is now the most commonly cited goal of U.S. foreign policy. Support for foreign policy goals overall is down, as are the numbers of Americans who want to increase spending on homeland security and defense. There is lower support for stationing U.S. troops abroad, particularly in Middle Eastern or Islamic countries. Yet Americans are still committed to playing an engaged role in the world and support taking action when clearly threatened, especially against terrorism. They do not want to play a dominant role, supporting diplomatic and multilateral approaches to international problems in even greater numbers than in 2002. "

Zogby: "Respondents strongly favor the US acting in concert with NATO and the UN using diplomacy to deal with international disputes (70%) over acting alone with the intention of protecting US interests (25%). "

Poll Results

Zogby Question 32: I am going to read to you two policies. Please tell me which policy comes closer to your own view -- A or B? Policy A favors diplomacy over strategic power in international disputes, and actively seeks out the assistance of international bodies like the United Nations and NATO to work together with the U.S. in crisis areas. Policy B favors the U.S. acting alone if necessary, and playing the role of both moral force and superpower in such disputes, all with the intention of protecting U.S. interests.

70% Policy A
25% Policy B

CCFR Question 208:  What do you think is the more important lesson of September 11th; that the U.S. needs to work more closely with other countries to fight terrorism or that the U.S. needs to act on its own more to fight terrorism?

Leaders:
84% Work more closely with other countries
9% Act on its own more

Public:
73% Work more closely with other countries
23% Act on its own more

Last Updated October 17, 2005

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