Americans Approve of Military Action Against Libya, 47% to 37%

[tekisui]

Source: Gallup

PRINCETON, NJ -- A Gallup poll conducted Monday finds more Americans approving than disapproving of the military action against Libya by the United States and other countries.

http://www.gallup.com/poll/146738/Americans-Approve-Military-Action-Against-Libya.aspx

[zorahopkins]

1. This Is So Sad

Americans really are warmongers.

That is so sad.

Every dollar we spend on this useless War in Libya is a dollar that we do not spend to feed hungry children.

I'm embarrassed to be an American.

[tekisui]

2. It isn't even a majority though. Very weak support.

[Godhumor]

3. Really? I'm proud that more Americans realize isolationism is a recipe for disaster.

Glad to see it.

[zorahopkins]

6. Premptive War

We have bombed a country that did nothing to us.

Libya did not attack the US.

We have engaged in yet one more preemptive war.

What you call "isolationism" I call "not engaging in preemptive war".

[Godhumor]

8. UN sactions, actions...

Like it or not, the global institution, of which we are apart, decided to take action. Again, glad the majority of people who gave an answer realize it. Thoroughly just actions taken so far.

[zorahopkins]

15. Aren't The Arab States Part of "The Global Institution"??

Correct me if I am wrong here, but aren't there over 100 countries that are part of "The Global Institution"?

Aren't some of those countries Arab countries with the capacity to take action against Libya?

So why is it that the US (primarily) is doing the bombing?

Could it be that the US used its influence in "the Global Institution" to get that institution to do what the US wanted to do in the first place?

I might agree that the US was simply carrying out the wishes of "The Global Institution" were it not for the fact that the US (with its long history of warmongering) is doing most of the bombing against another country that did not attack or threaten the US.

[Godhumor]

26. The US waited for the UN to approve action before taking action

There is no grand conspiracy here. The US is acting as part of the UN just like the other countries enforcing the no-fly zone. Which happens to include some Arab states.

I stand by what I said in my original response to this--it is a just and responsible action and I am glad the majority of Americans who responded realize it.

[zorahopkins]

31. Korea

Korea was a UN War.

That did not make the US's involvement in that war any more honorable.

[Godhumor]

32. Enforcing a NFZ is not the same as a protracted ground floor during the beginning of the Cold War

False equivalency.

[highplainsdem]

11. What you call a preemptive war I call following the UN resolution on the Responsibility to Protect.

[zorahopkins]

17. Why Is The US Doing Most Of The Bombing?

Many other countries have the ability to put a no-fly zone in place over Libya.

Yet the US -- long a country that has demonstrated its warmongering tendencies -- is doing most of the bombing.

Not Russia. Not China.

Germany is pulling out.

No Arab state is participating.

This is NOT a world-wide effort.

This is the US engaging -- once again -- in preemptive war.

[Forkboy]

12. I think you're giving them too much credit.

Look how many people believed Saddam and 9/11 were related. It's pretty easy to convince the American people drop bombs on he Middle East.

And I wish I got paid every time I see people using the word "isolationism". It has to be word #1 on the checklist. ;)

[Godhumor]

16. Trying to mock isolationism doesn't change the fact that we have responsibilities as part of the UN

Which we took and which people seem to understand. Comparing it to Iraq doesn't change that.

[Forkboy]

24. I'm having fun noting the use of the word in these debates.

It's a buzzword, and used with a purpose to frame the debate. Most issues usually develop a buzzword or two that are used in that way, sometimes consciously and sometimes not, and I'm just noting that "isolationism" is one of them in this debate.

[Godhumor]

27. Ah, similar to "Military Industrial Complex"...gotcha. Apologies. n/t

[Forkboy]

35. Yes, that can be one as well.

There's a bunch of them. Often when they're used they shift the debate away from the issue and onto the term itself. That's sometimes the intent. I've always been really interested in how all of us on a daily basis manipulate others and get manipulated ourselves. In both cases it's often subconscious, and it's not necessarily for negative intents, but it's there. And the way this happens the most is through communication and the words we choose as much as the idea behind them. Like astronomy and hockey, I find it endlessly fascinating. :)

[krabigirl]

18. Lol I think you confuse isolationism with non-interventionism.

Our country as a whole suffers from a disease of minding everyone else's business..to a fault.

[Godhumor]

25. Nope. I meant isolationism

Defined like the isolationists before the US got involved in WWI.

Reason I call it isolationism and not non-intervention is because the rest of the world, through the UN, is acting. If the US decided to not do so, and to stay out of a global matter as one of the leaders of the UN, that is isolationism. It would be ignoring our responsibilities in line with the UN charter.

[WatsonT]

37. Preemptive war and isolationism

these are our two options?

Did we ever applaud Germany for their refusal to fall in to the dreaded scourge of Isolationism back in the day?


Personally I'd prefer a world made up exclusively of isolationist countries (militarily) than one made up exclusively of let's say more militarily adventurous types.

[krabigirl]

20. Yes we are, and it is very sad, I agree.

[KansDem]

4. Fine...then don't bitch and moan about the deficit...

But you will...you will...

[Motown_Johnny]

5. Americans always approve of military action

nothing new here

[krabigirl]

21. Not all Americans.

[Motown_Johnny]

33. I was careful to not say "a majority of" much less "all"

and I did not mean to imply either


If my phrasing was misleading I apologize.

[RufusTFirefly]

7. The percentage who disapprove is almost equal to those who believe in evolution

Believe in Darwin's theory of evolution: 39%
Disapprove of military action against Libya: 37%
Believe in anthropogenic global warming: 36%

[Baclava]

9. Rachel called Libya a "War-zone" last night. Loud and clear.

I believe her, when she said we are at "WAR".

Air War, Ground War, Sea War - it's all WAR!

Not 'Military Action' - not 'International Effort', not 'Police action'

It's fucking WAR! Put that in the poll question instead of 'Military Action' and see what the results are.



Just wanted to get that out there, yes, I feel better now.

[highplainsdem]

10. 51% of Democrats approve -- a detail in the story that the OP left out. See the CNN poll, too:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x710347


That poll found 64% of Democrats approving of a no-fly zone, 50% approving of the U.S. and other
countries using planes and missiles to directly attack Gadhafi's troops in Libya, and 28% of Dems saying they'd approve of using ground troops.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

13. Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan were popular wars....at the outset.

Then the bodies started coming home and the bills for them started to add up.

[RufusTFirefly]

23. Don't worry. The money will be kept off budget and we won't see the bodies

An ignorant populace is a compliant populace.

Gotta give the MIC credit. They've refined the propaganda process since the days of Vietnam.

[Baclava]

29. Don't forget Bosnia - that started as an 'Air War Only' - then we put 20,000 troops on the ground

We're in it deep again.

[Ordy116]

14. Amazing

It amazes me that even though we have 3 branches of government, basiscally one man can decide when we go to war.

[krabigirl]

19. Proud member of the 37% here.

[Marblehead]

22. Globalism

will be a disaster for democratic societies.

[GSLevel9]

28. And the same people voted Shrub in twice. Nt

[David__77]

30. I'm part of the "37%."

It's completely unsurprising that a plurality or even majority would support military intervention in Libya. It just means that anti-war forces must work harder to make their case and win public opinion.

[Bucky]

34. I wonder how many oppose it because the president is a Democrat

You know they're in there.

[tuckessee]

36. Yeah, but how many support it because it's a Democrat created war?

Mindless partinsanship knows no party bounds.

[WatsonT]

38. As a percentage of their respective parties probably about the same as support it

because he's a democrat.

[GSLevel9]

39. also... Gallup stated this is the LOWEST support for a US Military action

in the history of the poll.

[Modern_Matthew]

40. Hello fellow 37ers. Doesn't it feel great to be on the high road? nt