Poll shows only 25% of Americans support military assistance for Israel against Iran

A poll conducted in the United States has revealed that only 25 per cent of the American people back US military support for Israel if the latter declares a military strike on Iran. The poll was carried out by the Anwar Al-Sadat Foundation for Peace and Development and the Programme on International Policy Attitudes at the University of Maryland. It noted that half of all Americans (approximately 49 per cent) are in favour of a neutral position by the US if Tel Aviv goes ahead with a military strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities; 27 per cent believe that the United States should make concerted efforts to stop a war; 22 per cent think that their country does not have to get involved at all.

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Although the survey showed that the majority of Americans (approximately 62 per cent) predict that Iran would use nuclear weapons, if it had them, against Israelis, at the same time only one out of every four Americans supports the US backing Israel militarily if asked to do so by Tel Aviv. Sixty-nine per cent of Americans, claims the poll, back continued negotiations and diplomatic efforts to divert Iran from pursuing nuclear weapons; more Democrats (79 per cent) think this way than Republicans (58 per cent). Less than fifth of the Americans polled believe that a military strike against the nuclear facilities in Iran will weaken its ability to develop a nuclear weapon for more than five years.

Overall, the survey suggests that Americans would prefer not to have their country involved in a war against Iran, although this is not because they are optimistic about its nuclear programme. Most, 58 percent in fact, believe that Tehran is seeking to develop nuclear weapons and it is just a matter of time before they do so. Around 30 per cent concur with US intelligence reports in this respect; an overwhelming majority of 9 out of 10 believe that Iran will eventually have nuclear weapons capabilities.