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Removing Saddam Considered an Important Foreign Policy Goal

Removing Saddam Considered an Important Foreign Policy Goal

Majority favors sending U.S. troops to overthrow Iraqi president

GALLUP NEWS SERVICE

PRINCETON, NJ -- Some experts believe Iraq will be the next target of the United States in the war on terrorism. Earlier this year, President Bush authorized the CIA to take any action necessary to topple Saddam Hussein from power in Iraq. Results of the latest CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll find about half of Americans saying the removal of Hussein from power should be a very important U.S. foreign policy goal. Additionally, a majority of Americans favor the use of U.S. troops in achieving this goal.

The new poll, conducted June 17-19, shows 47% of Americans saying that removing Hussein from power should be a very important U.S. foreign policy goal, with an additional 36% saying this is a somewhat important goal. Fewer than one in six Americans say replacing Hussein should not be an important goal of the United States.

In April, when the question was last asked, the results were very similar. However, both the April data and the current data show a decline in rated importance when compared to March, when 60% said removing Hussein from power should be a very important U.S. foreign policy goal. In March, however, respondents were asked a longer sequence of questions about Iraq and military action before the "importance" question was asked, the effect of which may have been to heighten the perceived importance of such actions among respondents who were taking the interview.

Importance of Removing Saddam Hussein
From Power in Iraq

The latest poll shows Republicans (62%) are far more likely than Democrats (45%) and independents (36%) to say removing Hussein should be a very important goal. The data also reveal that ascribed importance decreases as educational attainment increases -- 58% of those with a high school education or less say it is a very important objective, compared with 41% of those with some college education, and 33% of those with a postgraduate education. Additionally, Americans between the ages of 18 and 29 are less likely to view it as a very important goal than are Americans aged 50 and older (53%).

Majority of Public Favors Use of U.S. Troops to Remove Hussein

The poll finds majority support for the use of U.S. troops to remove Hussein from power. Fifty-nine percent of Americans favor sending American troops back to the Persian Gulf in order to remove Hussein from power. The question shows a decrease compared with last November, at which time 74% favored the use of U.S. troops for this purpose. That high number may have reflected the general level of support for military action observed after Sept. 11.

The current level of support is only slightly higher than it was prior to Sept. 11 -- a February 2001 Gallup poll found 52% in favor of using U.S. troops for this purpose. Indeed, although the precise percentage of Americans favoring the removal of Hussein from power has fluctuated, a majority has always favored the idea since the end of the Persian Gulf War in 1991.

Opinion of Using Ground Troops to Remove
Saddam Hussein From Power in Iraq

A separate question asked about sending American ground troops to the Persian Gulf in an attempt to remove Hussein from power. The slight wording differences do not alter the results, as 61% favor and 31% oppose the use of American ground troops for this purpose.

Republicans are generally more supportive of the idea of using American troops to remove Hussein than are independents and Democrats. Also, men, who are typically more likely to favor military action than are women, show higher support levels for the use of military force to topple Hussein.

Survey Methods

These results are based on telephone interviews with a randomly selected national sample of 1,005 adults, 18 years and older, conducted June 17-19, 2002. For results based on this sample, one can say with 95 percent confidence that the maximum error attributable to sampling and other random effects is plus or minus 3 percentage points. In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.

Would you favor or oppose sending American troops back to the Persian Gulf in order to remove Saddam Hussein from power in Iraq?

BASED ON -- 519 -- NATIONAL ADULTS IN FORM A

 

Favor

Oppose

No opinion

%

%

%

2002 Jun 17-19

59

34

7

2001 Nov 26-27 ^

74

20

6

2001 Feb 19-21 ^

52

42

6

1993 Jun 29-30 ^

70

27

3

1992 Mar 30-Apr 5 ^ †

55

40

5

^

Asked of a full sample.

Life Magazine/Gallup.



Would you favor or oppose sending American ground troops to the Persian Gulf in an attempt to remove Saddam Hussein from power in Iraq?

BASED ON -- 486 -- NATIONAL ADULTS IN FORM B

 

Favor

Oppose

No opinion

2002 Jun 17-19

61%

31

8



As far as you are concerned, should the removal of Saddam Hussein from power in Iraq be a very important foreign policy goal of the U.S., a somewhat important goal, not too important, or not an important goal at all?

 


Very important


Somewhat important


Not too important

Not important
at all


No
opinion

%

%

%

%

%

2002 Jun 17-19

47

36

7

7

3

2002 Apr 5-7

45

38

10

6

1

2002 Mar 22-24

60

28

6

5

1




Gallup https://news.gallup.com/poll/6253/Removing-Saddam-Considered-Important-Foreign-Policy-Goal.aspx
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