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Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

Tuesday, July 1, 2003

PIPA is a joint program of the Center on Policy Attitudes (COPA) and the Center for International and Security Studies at Maryland (CISSM), School of Public Affairs, University of Maryland.

 


New PIPA/KN Poll-Americans on Iraq:
WMD, Links to al-Qaeda, Reconstruction, Future of UN

 

 

Public Believes Bush Administration Stretched Truth on Iraq's WMD and Links to al-Qaeda

Though 52% Believe Evidence of Close Links to al-Qaeda Have Been Found

 

A new PIPA/Knowledge Networks poll finds a majority of 62% saying that "when the US government presented evidence of Iraq having weapons of mass destruction to justify going to war with Iraq" it was either "stretching the truth, but not making false statements" or was "presenting evidence they knew was false" (52% and 10% respectively). Just 32% said they thought the government was "being fully truthful." Sixty-three percent said that Congress should "investigate the intelligence agencies' performance in providing intelligence on whether Iraq had weapons of mass destruction."

Similarly, 56% said that "when the US government presented evidence of links between Saddam Hussein's government and al-Qaeda to justify going to war with Iraq," it was either "stretching the truth, but not making false statements" or was "presenting evidence they knew was false" (46% and 10% respectively). Just 39% said they thought the government was "being fully truthful." Read More
Majority Now Feels Iraq Reconstruction Not Going Well

Despite Fatalities, Overwhelming Majority Says US Should Remain in Iraq Until Stable

While various polls conducted in May found majorities believing that the post war operation in Iraq was going well, a modest majority now has a negative perception. Fifty-three percent described the process as going "not very well" or "not at all well" (40% and 13% respectively), while just 40% described it as going "somewhat well" (39%) or "very well" (1%). Read More


Report of Findings
Questionnaire
Press Release

Support Rises to Strong Majority for UN to Take Lead

Perhaps in response to difficulties in postwar Iraq, the last two months has seen sharp growth in the numbers of Americans wanting to see the UN take a leadership role in there.

The percentage saying that the UN should "take the lead to work with Iraqis to write a new constitution and build a new democratic government" has jumped 14%--from 50% in April to 64% today. Those choosing the US to take the lead dropped to just 31%, from 47% in April. Similarly, those saying the UN should direct economic reconstruction in Iraq are now a very strong 69%-up from 57% in April. Those saying the US should do so is down to 27% from 40% in April.
Majority Expects UN to Continue Strong World Role

Though the UN was sidelined in the Iraq war and post-war reconstruction, when asked broader questions about the significance of the UN there was no indication of a widespread belief that the UN had declined in importance. Asked about "the period after the war with Iraq," only 23% thought the UN would be less important (down from 26% when the same question was asked in March). Seventy-five percent said that "in the UN would either be "more important" (30%) or that its importance would be "about the same as before the war with Iraq" (45%).

Likewise, 63% thought the UN "will continue to be relevant to matters of war and peace" (up from 58% in March); 30% thought it would not be relevant. Read More
How Poll Was Conducted

The poll was conducted with a nationwide sample of 1,051 respondents June 18-25. The margin of error was plus or minus 3-3.5%, depending on whether the question was administered to the whole sample or three quarters of the sample. The poll was fielded by Knowledge Networks using its nationwide panel, which is randomly selected from the entire adult population and subsequently provided internet access.
(For more information about this methodology, go to www.knowledgenetworks.com/ganp.)

The Americans and the World Digest
A source of comprehensive information on US public opinion on international issues.

 

 

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