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Survey Reports
October 24, 2001
America's New Internationalist Point of View
Questionnaire
PEW RESEARCH CENTER FOR THE PEOPLE AND THE PRESS
& COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS
AMERICA'S PLACE IN THE WORLD, III
GENERAL PUBLIC CALLBACK TOPLINE
OCT 15-21, 2001
N = 1,281
All in all,
Q.1 What kind of leadership role should the United States play in the world? Should it
be the single world leader, or should it play a shared leadership role, or shouldn't
it play any leadership role?
IF ANSWERED 2 "SHARED LEADERSHIP ROLE" IN Q.1, ASK:
Q.2 Should the United States be the most active of the leading nations, or should it be
about as active as other leading nations?
Early Sept Sept June Oct Sept
2001 1997 1995 1993 1993
12 Be the single world leader, or 13 12 13 9 10
79 Should it play a shared leadership role 75 73 74 78 81
33 Most active 25 22 25 23 27
45 About as active 49 50 47 53 52
1 Don't know/Refused 1 1 2 2 2
3 Shouldn't it play any leadership role 8 11 9 9 7
6 Don't know/Refused 4 4 4 4 2
100 100 100 100 100 100
ASK ALL:
Q.3 In general, how well do you think the U.S. government is doing in reducing the threat
of terrorism? [READ]
Oct 10-14
2001
38 Very well 48
46 Fairly well 40
9 Not too well 6
4 Not at all well 2
3 Don't know/Refused 4
100 100
Q.4 How should the U.S. determine its policy with regard to the war on terrorism? Should it be
based mostly on the national interests of the U.S., or should it strongly take into account
the interests of its allies?
Early Sept
2001
30 U.S. national interests 38
59 Interests and views of allies 48
7 Both (VOL) 7
* Neither (VOL) 1
4 Don't Know/Refused 6
100 100
Q.5F1/
Q.6F2 As I read a list of possible LONG-RANGE foreign policy goals which the United
States might have, tell me how much priority you think each should be given.
First, [READ AND ROTATE], do you think this should have top priority, some priority,
or no priority at all:
Top Some No
Q.5F1/Q.6F2 ITEM [N=1,281]: Priority Priority Priority DK/Ref
5F1d/
6F2a. Taking measures to protect the U.S.
from terrorist attacks 93 6 * 1=100
Early September, 2001 80 16 3 1=100
Q.5F1 ITEMS ONLY [N=638]:
5F1a. Preventing the spread of weapons
of mass destruction 81 14 2 3=100
Early September, 2001 78 16 5 1=100
September, 1997 70 23 6 1=100
June, 1995 68 21 9 2=100
September, 1993 69 24 5 1=100
5F1b. Insuring adequate energy supplies
for the U.S. 69 29 1 1=100
Early September, 2001 74 23 2 1=100
September, 1997 58 36 3 3=100
June, 1995 59 34 3 4=100
September, 1993 60 34 4 2=100
5F1c. Promoting democracy in other nations 24 61 12 3=100
Early September, 2001 29 52 16 3=100
September, 1997 22 57 18 3=100
June, 1995 16 57 24 3=100
September, 1993 22 52 24 2=100
5F1e. Promoting U.S. business and economic
interests abroad 30 63 4 3=100
Early September, 2001 37 53 8 2=100
September, 1997 16 62 20 2=100
June, 1995 26 50 20 4=100
September, 1993 27 51 19 3=100
5F1f. Strengthening the United Nations 46 46 7 1=100
Early September, 2001 42 43 13 2=100
September, 1997 30 53 14 3=100
June, 1995 36 45 17 2=100
September, 1993 41 46 11 2=100
5F1g. Reducing the spread of AIDS and other
infectious diseases 59 38 2 1=100
Early September, 2001 73 23 3 1=100
5F1h. Protecting groups or nations that are
threatened with genocide 48 43 3 6=100
Early September, 2001 49 41 5 5=100
Q.6F2 ITEMS ONLY [N=643]:
6F2b. Helping improve the living standards
in developing nations 20 67 12 1=100
Early September, 2001 25 61 12 2=100
September, 1997 23 63 13 1=100
June, 1995 16 59 22 3=100
September, 1993 19 60 20 1=100
6F2c. Protecting the jobs of American
workers 74 24 1 1=100
Early September, 2001 77 19 3 1=100
September, 1997 77 20 2 1=100
June, 1995 80 17 2 1=100
September, 1993 85 13 2 *=100
6F2d. Promoting and defending human rights
in other countries 27 61 10 2=100
Early September, 2001 29 54 14 3=100
September, 1997 27 56 15 2=100
June, 1995 21 56 20 3=100
September, 1993 22 54 22 2=100
6F2e. Combating international drug
trafficking 55 38 5 2=100
Early September, 2001 64 26 9 1=100
September, 1997 67 24 7 2=100
6F2f. Getting other countries to assume
more of the costs of maintaining
world order 54 41 3 2=100
Early September, 2001 56 35 6 3=100
6F2g. Dealing with the problem of
world hunger 34 59 6 1=100
Early September, 2001 47 44 7 2=100
6F2h. Dealing with global warming 31 51 13 5=100
Early September, 2001 44 39 12 5=100
September, 1997 50 42 6 2=100
June, 1995 56 36 6 2=100
September, 1993 56 37 6 1=100
NO Q.7 OR Q.8
ASK ALL:
Q.9 Do you think that we should increase our spending on national defense, keep it about
the same, or cut it back?
Early RV's 10- 10- 10-
Sept Sept Aug June Sept Feb 10/ Sept 11/ 11/ 11/ 11/ 12/
2001 2000 1999 1999 1997 1995 94+ 1993 90+ 86+ 82+ 78+ 74+
50 Increase 32 34 27 31 17 19 18 10 12 21 22 32 13
41 Keep same 44 48 54 47 57 56 53 52 53 55 52 45 47
7 Cut back 20 14 16 19 24 24 26 36 32 23 24 16 33
2 DK/Ref. 4 4 3 3 2 1 3 2 3 3 3 7 8
100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100
+ Chicago Council on Foreign Relations
Q.10 In the dispute between Israel and the Palestinians, which side do you sympathize with
more, Israel or the Palestinians?
Early Chicago Council on Foreign Relations
Sept Sept Sept Oct-Nov Oct-Nov Nov
2001 1997 1993 1990 1982 1978
47 Israel 40 48 45 34 41 39
10 Palestinians 17 13 21 13 17 12
8 Both (VOL) 6 5 3 7 8 8
18 Neither (VOL) 23 16 18 26 19 15
17 Don't know/Refused 14 18 12 20 16 13
100 100 100 100 100 100 100
ASK FORM 1 ONLY [N=638]:
Q.11 Thinking about the financial aid the United States provides Israel for military purposes,
do you think U.S. military aid to Israel should be increased, kept the same, or decreased?
------- Gallup -------
Sept 2001 July 1999
10 Increased 16 10
56 Kept the same 47 42
25 Decreased 31 44
9 Don't know/Refused 6 4
100 100 100
ASK FORM 2 ONLY [N=643]:
Q.12 Thinking about the Mideast situation these days, do you think the U.S. should take
Israel's side more, less or about as much as it has in the past?
16 More
19 Less
56 As much as in the past
9 Don't know/Refused
100
ASK ALL:
Q.13 Do you think the U.S. should put into effect a national missile defense system,
or don't you think so?
IF 1 "YES" IN Q.13 ASK:
Q.14 Do we have a pressing need for this system right now or is this something we should
put off into the future?
Early
Sept May Feb
2001 2001 2001
Yes, U.S. should put into effect a
64 national missile defense system 56 51 54
49 Need the system right now 35 29 n/a
14 Should put it off into the future 19 19 n/a
1 Don't know/Refused 2 3 n/a
26 No, U.S. should not 35 38 32
10 Don't know/Refused 9 11 14
100 100 100 100
ASK ALL:
In your view,
Q.15 How well is the MILITARY effort to destroy the terrorist groups going? [READ]
Oct 10-14
2001
38 Very well 45
45 Fairly well 35
9 Not too well 6
2 Not at all well 4
6 Don't know/Refused 10
100 100
Q.16 How would you rate the job the government is doing in BUILDING DEFENSES at home to
prevent future terrorist attacks? Would you say the government is doing an excellent
job, a good job, only a fair job, or a poor job? [READ]
Oct 10-14
2001
18 Excellent 20
51 Good 47
22 Only fair 22
5 Poor 4
4 Don't know/Refused 7
100 100
Q.17 If you had to choose, what should get a higher priority now? [READ AND ROTATE]
Oct Late
10-14 Sept
2001 2001
37 Building our defenses at home to prevent future terrorist attacks 36 33
-OR--
48 Taking military action to destroy terrorist networks around the world 45 44
13 Both (VOL) 13 16
2 Don't know/Refused 6 7
100 100 100
Q.18 How worried are you that there will soon be another terrorist attack in the United
States? [READ]
Oct 10-14 Early Oct
2001 2001
29 Very worried 27 28
42 Somewhat worried 40 45
18 Not too worried 19 15
10 Not at all worried 12 11
1 Don't know/Refused 2 1
100 100 100
Q.19 As of today, do you feel that your life [READ]
Newsweek
9/27-28/01
41 Has returned to normal 40
31 Is BEGINNING to return to normal 35
8 Still hasn't begun to return to normal 7
17 Will NEVER return to normal? 15
3 Don't know/Refused 3
100 100
Q.20 In the long run, what is the best way for the U.S. to avoid problems like terrorism?
Should the U.S.: [READ AND ROTATE]
61 Be very much involved in solving international problems?
--OR--
32 Not get too involved with international problems?
7 Don't know/Refused
100
Q.21 Do you think the terrorist attacks are the start of a major conflict between the
people of America and Europe versus the people of Islam, or is it only a conflict
with a small, radical group?
28 Major conflict
63 Conflict with a radical group
9 Don't know/Refused
100
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