Americans Favor U.S. Peacekeeping Force in Liberia

GALLUP NEWS SERVICE

PRINCETON, NJ -- Americans continue to support the use of U.S. military troops in efforts to bring about peace, according to a new Gallup Poll. Clear majorities favor sending U.S. troops as part of an international peacekeeping force to Liberia, and support keeping U.S. troops in Iraq. Majorities of both Democrats and Republicans favor the use of troops in Liberia, but there is a larger partisan divide on the continuing deployment of troops in Iraq.

Peacekeeping Forces in Liberia Favored

The poll, conducted July 7-9, finds that 57% of Americans favor, while 36% oppose, sending U.S. ground troops, along with troops from other countries, in an international peacekeeping force to Liberia. The United Nations has asked for U.S. troops to help enforce a cease-fire between forces who support Liberian President Charles Taylor and rebels fighting to depose him from power. Taylor has agreed to step down from power, as demanded by President George W. Bush, if such forces are sent. Still, so far Bush has not made a decision on the matter, although he has pledged to "be involved."

About half the American public has followed the issue either very or somewhat closely, and this group favors U.S. involvement by a two-to-one margin, 66% to 31%. Americans who have followed the issue only a little ("not too closely") also favor U.S. involvement, but by a smaller margin of 53% to 40%. People who have not followed the issue at all are about evenly divided, with 43% in favor and 42% opposed.

Send U.S. Ground Troops as Part of International Peacekeeping Force in Liberia? Compared Overall and by How Closely People Have Followed the Issue

Jul. 7-9, 2003

Republicans are somewhat more likely to favor sending U.S. troops to Liberia than are either independents or Democrats. Still, all three groups exhibit at least modest support.

Send U.S. Ground Troops as Part of International Peacekeeping Force in Liberia? Compared by Party Affiliation

Jul. 7-9, 2003

Public Supports Continued Deployment of U.S. Troops in Iraq

President Bush's approval rating on his handling of the situation in Iraq has slipped to 58%, down from 63% last month, and a high of 76% in the middle of April after the fall of Baghdad. Also, the number of Americans who say the United States made a mistake in sending troops to Iraq has increased to 27%, up from 23% last March.

Despite these modest changes, overall public opinion continues to be highly supportive of U.S. efforts in Iraq. Seventy-two percent of Americans say the war with Iraq was not a mistake, and a 58% approval rating for Bush on this issue is still quite robust.

Moreover, results from a separate question show that 57% of Americans believe there should be no reduction in the number of U.S. troops in Iraq, including 16% who favor an increase in troop strength. Another 40% want to bring some U.S. troops home from Iraq.

Which comes closest to your view about the number of U.S. troops in Iraq – the U.S. should send more troops to Iraq, the U.S. should keep the number of troops as it is now, or the U.S. should bring some troops home from Iraq?

Jul. 7-9, 2003

Opinion on this issue is more partisan in nature than opinion on the Liberian question. Only 27% of Republicans want to bring troops home, compared with 42% of independents and 48% of Democrats.

Opinion on U.S. Troops in Iraq Compared by Party Affiliation

Jul. 7-9, 2003

Unlike the Liberian question, all groups do not show at least modest support for the deployment of U.S. troops in Iraq. Democrats are about evenly divided, with 50% wanting either to send more troops or to keep the number at the current level, while 48% want to bring home troops. By contrast, Republicans are highly supportive of keeping troops in Iraq -- 71% to 27%. Independents show slight majority support, 51% to 42%.

Survey Methods

Results are based on telephone interviews with 1,006 national adults, aged 18+, conducted July 7-9, 2003. For results based on the total sample of national adults, one can say with 95% confidence that the margin of sampling error is ±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.

56. How closely would you say you have followed the news about the current situation in the African country of Liberia -- very closely, somewhat closely, not too closely, or not at all?

57. Would you favor or oppose the presence of U.S. ground troops, along with troops from other countries, in an international peacekeeping force in Liberia?

Turning to Iraq,

Q.58-59 SPLIT SAMPLED

58. In view of the developments since we first sent our troops to Iraq, do you think the United States made a mistake in sending troops to Iraq, or not?

BASED ON -- 509 -- NATIONAL ADULTS IN FORM A

Q.58 (MISTAKE SENDING TROOPS TO IRAQ) CONTINUED

59. Which comes closest to your view about the number of U.S. troops in Iraq – [ROTATED: the U.S. should send more troops to Iraq, the U.S. should keep the number of troops as it is now, or the U.S. should bring some troops home from Iraq]?

BASED ON -- 497 -- NATIONAL ADULTS IN FORM B