{"id":50287,"date":"2012-02-15T10:58:09","date_gmt":"2012-02-15T15:58:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/2012\/02\/15\/public-takes-strong-stance-against-irans-nuclear-program\/"},"modified":"2024-04-14T04:14:37","modified_gmt":"2024-04-14T09:14:37","slug":"public-takes-strong-stance-against-irans-nuclear-program","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/politics\/2012\/02\/15\/public-takes-strong-stance-against-irans-nuclear-program\/","title":{"rendered":"Public Takes Strong Stance Against Iran\u2019s Nuclear Program"},"content":{"rendered":"

Overview<\/h2>\n\n

The public supports tough measures \u2013 including the possible use of military force \u2013 to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. Nearly six-in-ten (58%) say it is more important to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons, even if it means taking military action. Just 30% say it is more important to avoid a military conflict with Iran, even if it means that country develops nuclear weapons. These opinions are little changed from October 2009.<\/p>\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n

There have been reports in recent weeks that Israel may soon attack Iran\u2019s nuclear facilities. About half of Americans (51%) say the United States should remain neutral if Israel takes action to stop Iran\u2019s nuclear program, but far more say the U.S. should support (39%) than oppose (5%) an Israeli attack.<\/p>\n\n

The latest national survey by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press conducted Feb. 8-12, 2012, among 1,501 adults, finds substantial partisan differences over how to deal with Iran\u2019s nuclear program.<\/p>\n\n

Republicans are far more supportive of using military force to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons than are either Democrats or independents. Moreover, a majority of Republicans (62%) say the U.S. should support an Israeli attack to stop Iran\u2019s nuclear program, compared with just a third of independents and Democrats.<\/p>\n\n

There also is a wide partisan gap over President Obama\u2019s plans for withdrawing U.S. forces from Afghanistan. Overall, 53% say Barack Obama is removing troops from Afghanistan at about the right pace. Just 20% say the president is withdrawing troops too quickly and 22% say he is not removing troops quickly enough.<\/p>\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n

Last June, 44% said they thought Obama would handle the troop withdrawal about right, and 50% expressed this view in March 2o11.<\/p>\n\n

A plurality of Republicans (43%) now say that Obama is removing U.S. troops from Afghanistan too quickly; 30% say Obama is handling this about right while 21% say he is not removing the troops quickly enough. In June 2011, just 28% of Republicans thought Obama would remove the troops too quickly.<\/p>\n\n

An overwhelming majority of Democrats (77%) continue to say Obama is handling the troop withdrawal about right, an increase of 11 points from June 2011.<\/p>\n\n

Similarly, about half of independents (51%) think the president is handling the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan about right, up from 40% in June. About a quarter (28%) of independents say Obama is not removing troops quickly enough and 17% say he is removing them too quickly.<\/p>\n\n

Women, Young People Want U.S. to Stay Neutral<\/h3>\n\n

About half of Americans (51%) say the U.S. should stay neutral if Israel attacks Iran. <\/p>\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n

Nearly four-in-ten (39%) say the U.S. should support Israel\u2019s military action while just 5% say the U.S. should oppose military\u2019s action.<\/p>\n\n

There are large demographic differences in views about what the U.S. should do if Israel attacks Iran. A majority of women (55%) say the U.S. should stay neutral. Men are more divided over whether the U.S. should stay neutral (47%) or support Israel (45%). Young people also are far more likely than older Americans to say the U.S. should stay neutral.<\/p>\n\n

Fully 64% of white evangelical Protestants say that the U.S. should support Israel if it attacks Iran in an effort to stop their nuclear weapon program. That compares with 42% of white mainline Protestants and 41% of white Catholics.<\/p>\n\n

There is a wide divide among Republicans on the issue of Iran. Fully 71% of conservative Republicans think the U.S. should support Israel\u2019s military action if they attack Iran, compared with 43% of moderate and liberal Republicans. A majority of independents and Democrats (including both liberal and more moderate Democrats) think the U.S. should stay neutral.<\/p>\n\n

Overall, there has been modest attention to the dispute over Iran\u2019s nuclear program; 38% say they have heard a lot while 39% have heard a little and 23% have heard nothing at all. That is comparable to attention paid to Iran\u2019s nuclear program last month and in October 2009.<\/p>\n\n

Republicans (47%) are more likely than independents (38%) and Democrats (31%) to say they have heard a lot about the dispute over Iran\u2019s nuclear program. And two-thirds (67%) of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents who agree with the Tea Party say they have heard a lot about Iran\u2019s nuclear program.<\/p>\n\n

Most See Tougher Sanctions as Ineffective<\/h3>\n\n

Despite the recent push for tougher economic sanctions against Iran by the U.S. and its allies, 64% of the public thinks that tougher economic sanctions will not work in getting Iran to <\/p>\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n

give up its nuclear program. Just 21% think they will work. In October 2009, 56% thought tougher economic sanctions would not work in stopping Iran\u2019s nuclear weapons program.<\/p>\n\n

There is wide consensus across party lines that tougher economic sanctions on Iran will be ineffective. Most Republicans (72%) and independents (67%), as well as 56% of Democrats, say that Iran will not give up its nuclear program even with tougher economic sanctions.<\/p>\n\n

Tea Party Republicans Back Tough Approach<\/h3>\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n

An overwhelming majority of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents who agree with the Tea Party (84%) say that the U.S. should prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons, even if it means taking military action. That compares with a smaller majority (64%) of Republicans who disagree with or have no opinion of the Tea Party.<\/p>\n\n

The gap among Republicans is even larger on what the U.S. should do if Israel attacks Iran to stop its nuclear weapons program. Fully 81% of Tea Party Republicans say the U.S. should support Israel\u2019s military action, compared with just 43% of non-Tea Party Republicans.<\/p>\n\n

There also are differences among Republicans about how Obama is handling troop withdrawal from Afghanistan. A majority of Tea Party Republicans (61%) now say that Obama is removing troops too quickly. A year ago, when asked if Obama will remove U.S. troops too quickly, just 33% of Tea Party Republicans said he would remove troops too quickly and 35% said he would handle it about right.<\/p>\n\n

Far fewer non-Tea Party Republicans (27%) say Obama is removing troops too quickly. More say Obama is handling the troop withdrawal about right (38%). Views among non-Tea Party Republicans have changed little since last year.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Nearly six-in-ten (58%) say it is more important to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons, even if it means taking military action.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":53,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"sub_headline":"Support for Obama's Afghan Troop Pullout","sub_title":"Support for Obama's Afghan Troop 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