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Author Topic:   Americans oppose use of force to promote democracy: poll
AcousticGod
Knowflake

Posts: 4415
From: Pleasanton, CA
Registered: Apr 2009

posted September 29, 2005 03:03 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for AcousticGod     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Thu Sep 29,11:49 AM ET

WASHINGTON (AFP) - Amid the ongoing occupation of Iraq, most Americans are opposed to using military force to promote democracy, according to a new survey.

"Only 35 percent favored using military force to overthrow dictators. Less than one in five favored the US threatening to use military force if countries do not institute democratic reforms," the poll by the Program on International Policy Attitudes (PIPA) and Chicago Council on Foreign Relations found.

Fully 74 percent of those surveyed -- including 60 percent of those identifying themselves as Republicans -- said that the goal of overthrowing Iraq's authoritarian government and establishing a democracy was not reason enough to fight a war.

And 72 percent said that the US involvement in Iraq has made them feel worse about the idea of using military force to foster democracy in the future.

"More broadly most Americans do not appear to have been persuaded by President Bush's State of the Union argument that promoting democracy is a critical means for fighting terrorism and making the world safer," said Steven Kull, director of PIPA.

"While Americans generally support the goal of promoting democracy, they take the pragmatic approach of not making it a top priority in all cases," added Christopher Whitney, Director for Studies of the Chicago Council on Foreign Relations.

The survey also found 26 percent agreed that when there are more democracies the world is safer and 45 percent agreed that people in democracies are less likely to support terrorist groups.

Interestingly though 78 percent said that democracy is the best form of government only 50 percent said that it is the best for all countries and 28 percent said they believe that nearly all countries will become democracies.

Respondents embraced fostering democracy through diplomatic and cooperative methods. Fully 74 percent favored helping emerging democracies with aid and technical assistance in conducting elections. And 66 percent favored sending monitors to certify that elections are conducted fairly, the poll found.

On the multilateral front 66 percent said that, when working to promote democracy, it is better to work through the United Nations because such efforts will be seen as more legitimate. Twenty-five percent said it was better for the US to act on its own because the US can act more decisively.

The poll, a joint project of the Chicago Council on Foreign Relations and the Program on International Policy Attitudes, was conducted by Knowledge Networks September 15-21 among 808 respondents across the country, with a margin of error of 3.5-4 percent.

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(So much I want to say about this one, but should I?)

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Rainbow~
unregistered
posted September 29, 2005 04:19 PM           Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Go ahead! I'm going to....

For starters...

"Like duh! Why didn't those who are NOW opposing "war to spread democracy", speak up when this atrocity started? *sigh*....but I guess better late than never...."

....and....

"War on democracy? Yup! that's why the white man came over here and beat our butts (Native Americans)....they wanted to (excuse me while I throw up) spread democracy..."

(don't get me started)

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AcousticGod
Knowflake

Posts: 4415
From: Pleasanton, CA
Registered: Apr 2009

posted September 30, 2005 02:21 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for AcousticGod     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
It's just not as fun without Jwhop.

This article says that I am indeed in the mainstream of American even including 60% of Republicans.

I guess I just miss being called a radical liberal.

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TINK
unregistered
posted September 30, 2005 03:36 AM           Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
RADICAL LIBERAL RED COMMIE B@STARD PIG!!

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proxieme
unregistered
posted September 30, 2005 04:08 AM           Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
You, my friend, support terrorists with your anti-American tripe.

Ideals such as yours are treason, and treasonous scum deserve to be tried for their crimes and hung.
I suggest you check-out this insightful, clear-eyed indictment of the dim-o-crats and the rest of the radical, loony left.

If you don't have the brain wattage to shuffle down to patronize your local library, at least attempt to get enough synapses buzzing to read the review of one of the few uncommunist patriots left in this country ("Lost in Kochi", a little down the page).

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proxieme
unregistered
posted September 30, 2005 04:08 AM           Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
(Is that better?)

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AcousticGod
Knowflake

Posts: 4415
From: Pleasanton, CA
Registered: Apr 2009

posted September 30, 2005 10:55 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for AcousticGod     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Good stuff there.

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Ra
Moderator

Posts: 80
From: Atlanta
Registered: May 2009

posted September 30, 2005 01:34 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Ra     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
The poll, a joint project of the Chicago Council on Foreign Relations ...

Say no more.

So 808 Americans constitute what "most Americans" think? It doesn't matter if I agree or disagree with that "survey" ... I wouldn't trust it as far as I could throw it. It is a project of the Council on Foreign Relations ... that alone tells me there is a hidden agenda.

I stopped drinking the CFR's cool-aid a long time ago.

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AcousticGod
Knowflake

Posts: 4415
From: Pleasanton, CA
Registered: Apr 2009

posted September 30, 2005 01:56 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for AcousticGod     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
You have a fair point in the number of people polled. I'd like to see a wider sample.

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Rainbow~
unregistered
posted September 30, 2005 02:38 PM           Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Small sampling for sure.....

However, one doesn't need polls...to feel it in the air...

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TINK
unregistered
posted September 30, 2005 06:56 PM           Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
That was a very good impression, prox. Uncomfortably so. Gave me the heebie jeebies.

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AcousticGod
Knowflake

Posts: 4415
From: Pleasanton, CA
Registered: Apr 2009

posted September 30, 2005 07:39 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for AcousticGod     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
lol

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Ra
Moderator

Posts: 80
From: Atlanta
Registered: May 2009

posted October 01, 2005 03:21 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Ra     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
It really would not have mattered how many were polled, ten or a million or a hundred million ... the results would have been the same.

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