Data are from nationwide surveysof Americans 18 & older.
.
.
Arms Control / Weapons of Mass Destruction / Missile Defense
Associated Press/Ipsos poll conducted by Ipsos-Public Affairs.
March 21-23,
2005. N=1,000 adults nationwide.MoE ±
3.1.
.
"How likely is it that a terrorist
attack using nuclear weapons will take place in the next five years . . .
?"
.
Very
Likely
Somewhat
Likely
Not Too
Likely
Not At
All Likely
Unsure
%
%
%
%
%
3/21-23/05
15
38
33
13
1
.
"How likely is it that one
country will attack another country with nuclear weapons in the next five
years . . . ?"
.
Very
Likely
Somewhat
Likely
Not Too
Likely
Not At
All Likely
Unsure
%
%
%
%
%
3/21-23/05
18
34
34
13
1
.
"Which statement comes closest
to your view? . . ."
.
%
"No countries should be allowed to
have nuclear weapons."
66
.
"Only the United States and its allies
should be allowed to have nuclear weapons."
13
.
"Only countries that already have
nuclear weapons should be allowed to have them."
11
.
"Any country that is able to develop
nuclear weapons should be allowed to have them."
5
.
Only the U.S.
should be allowed to have nuclear weapons (vol.)
1
.
Unsure
4
Program on
International Policy Attitudes/Knowledge Networks Poll.
March 16-22,
2004. N=approx. 500 adults
nationwide. MoE ± 4.5.
This
survey was fielded by Knowledge Networks using its nationwide research
panel.
Knowledge Networks employs a random-digit-dial telephone
methodology to develop a representative sample of households for
participation in its panel. Participants receive free hardware and free
Internet access. Surveys are administered via
interactive TV devices.
.
"Based on
what you know, do you think the U.S. should or should not participate in the
following treaties and agreements? . . ."
.
Should
Should
Not
No
Answer
%
%
%
"The treaty that would
prohibit nuclear weapon test explosions worldwide"
3/04
87
12
2
.
"The treaty that bans all
use of land mines"
3/04
83
14
3
.
"The treaty that bans all
chemical weapons"
3/04
91
7
2
.
"The treaty that bans all
biological weapons"
3/04
91
7
2
.
"Here are some positions about
the possible use of nuclear weapons by the United States. Which one comes
closest to yours?The U.S. should never use
nuclear weapons under any circumstances. The U.S.
should only use nuclear weapons in response to a nuclear attack.
In certain circumstances, the U.S. should use nuclear weapons even if
it has not suffered a nuclear attack."
.
Never
Use
Only in
Response
To Nuclear
Attack
Even if
Hasn't
Suffered
Nuclear
Attack
No
Answer
%
%
%
%
3/04
21
60
18
2
.
"With regard to missile
defense, do you think the U.S. should build a
missile defense system right away; do more
research until such a system is proven to be effective;
not build a missile defense system at all?"
"Recently there has been some discussion about the
possibility of the United States building a defense system against nuclear
missiles. Do you think the government should or should not spend the money
that would be required for research and possible development of such a
system, or are you unsure?"
Should
Should
Not
Unsure
%
%
%
2/03
46
21
33
4/02
47
20
33
2/02
51
16
33
7/01
41
28
31
2/01
44
20
36
Bloomberg
News Poll conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates. July 31-Aug.
5, 2001. N=1,206 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.
.
"Bush has proposed
building a missile defense system that would be designed to protect the United States from
a missile attack. He has not said how much this would cost. Do you favor or oppose this
proposal?"
8/01
1/01
%
%
Favor
49
47
Oppose
41
47
Don't know/Refused
10
7
.
"Now, as president, do you
think Bush will be able to build a missile defense system as he has described or
not?"
8/01
1/01
%
%
Will be able to build
39
37
Will not be able to build
44
50
Don't know/Refused
17
13
CNN/Time
Poll conducted by Harris Interactive. July 17-18, 2001. N=1,015 adults nationwide. MoE
± 3.1.
.
"Some people feel the
U.S. should try to develop a ground and space based missile defense system to protect the
U.S. from missile attack. Others oppose such an effort because they say it would be too
costly and might interfere with existing arms treaties with the Russians. Which position
comes closer to your view?"
%
Should try to develop
52
Should not
40
Not sure
8
Newsweek
Poll conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates. May 3-4, 2001. N=1,002 adults
nationwide. MoE ± 3.
.
"President Bush says the
arms-control treaties of the Cold War era are out of date and we should build an
anti-missile shield to protect the U.S. in case of an accident or nuclear attack by a
rogue state like Iraq or Iran. Others say we shouldn't build an anti-missile shield that
our major allies oppose and relies on technology not yet proven to be effective. Which
comes closer to your view?"
%
Should build
48
Should not build
44
Don't know
8
The Harris
Poll. July 13-17, 2000. N=1,010 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.
.
"Have you seen, heard
or read anything recently about the missile defense system which the Pentagon has been
developing for testing, or not?"
%
Have
52
Have not
47
Not sure
1
.
Asked of those who answered
"Have" to question above:
"As far as you know, was the most recent test of whether or not the interceptor
rocket could hit an incoming missile successful or unsuccessful, or are you not
sure?"
%
Successful
8
Unsuccessful
64
Not sure
27
.
"Which one of the
following do you think President Clinton and the Congress should do? Continue with more
research to develop a system which is successfully tested before deciding whether or not
to develop the full system. Commit now to developing and building a comprehensive missile
defense system."
%
Continue with research
66
Commit now to building defense
system
19
Neither (vol.)
5
Not sure
9
.
"Do you think
President Clinton should make this decision this year or should it be made next year by
the next president, whoever he is?
"How closely
have you been following the news about the possibility of the United States
building a defense system against nuclear missiles: very closely, somewhat
closely, not too closely, or not at all closely?"
%
Very closely
11
Somewhat closely
32
Not too closely
31
Not at all closely
25
No opinion
1
.
"Do you
think the government should or should not spend the money that would be
necessary to build such a system?"
%
Should
53
Should not
36
No opinion
11
.
"Who, as
president, would you have more confidence in to make decisions about such a
missile defense system: [rotate] Al Gore or George W.
Bush?"
%
Bush
48
Gore
37
Both equally (vol.)
3
Neither (vol.)
5
No opinion
7
NBC News/Wall
Street Journal Poll conducted by the polling organizations of Peter Hart (D) and
Robert Teeter (R). Oct. 23-25,1999. N=1,003 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.2.
.
"As you may know, the
U.S. Senate rejected an international treaty called the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban
Treaty, which would prohibit the testing of nuclear weapons. The Senate's action means
that the U.S. will not be part of the treaty. Do you approve or disapprove of the Senate's
rejection of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, or don't you have an opinion
either way?"
%
Approve
28
Disapprove
46
Don't have an opinion
22
Not sure
4
.
"Let me read you two
statements that supporters and opponents of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty
make, and then get your reaction.
"Supporters
say that the test ban would reduce the spread of nuclear weapons to new countries by
stopping the testing needed to perfect them, yet still allow the U.S. to keep its nuclear
arms up to date through computer-simulated testing.
"Opponents say that the test ban would not reduce the spread of nuclear weapons to
new countries because there would be no way to know for sure whether other countries were
testing nuclear arms, and the prohibition on testing ultimately would reduce the quality
of U.S. nuclear weapons.
"With whom do you agree more: supporters or
opponents of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty?"
%
Agree more with supporters
44
Agree more with opponents
43
Not sure
13
.
"If your senator
voted to reject the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, would that make you more likely
or less likely to vote for your senator in the next election, or would it not be a factor
in your decision?"
Washington Post/Kaiser
Family Foundation/Harvard University pollconducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates.
June 13-23, 2002. N=1,402
adults nationwide. MoE ± 3 (for all adults).
.
"Turning to the issue of foreign aid, do you think
the United States is now spending too little on foreign aid, about the right
amount, or too much on foreign aid?"
ALL
Whites
Blacks
Latinos
%
%
%
%
Too little
8
6
13
14
Right amount
22
23
22
23
Too much
56
57
55
45
Don't know
14
14
10
19
The Gallup
Poll. May 18-21, 2000. N=1,011 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.
.
"Turning to the issue
of foreign aid: Do you think the amount of money the United States is now devoting to
foreign aid should be increased, reduced, or kept at about the present level?"
NBC News/Wall
Street JournalPoll conducted by the polling organizations of Peter Hart (D) and
Robert Teeter (R). Sept. 10-13, 1998. N=1,000 adults nationwide.
.
"Should the United
States participate with the International Monetary Fund and other nations in a plan to
lend money to countries that suffer financial collapse, such as Russia, South Korea, and
Indonesia?"
NBC News/Wall
Street Journal Poll conducted by the polling organizations of Peter Hart (D) and
Robert Teeter (R). April 17-19, 1999. N=500 adults nationwide.
.
"How important is
NATO, the security alliance between the U.S. and Europe: very important, fairly important,
just somewhat important, or not that important?"
%
Very important
63
Fairly important
14
Just somewhat important
13
.
Not that important
8
Not sure
2
Pew
Research Center Poll conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates. March
24-30, 1999. N=1,786 adults nationwide.
.
"Do you think the
NATO alliance should be maintained or is the alliance not necessary any more?"
"Do you think the United Nations is doing a good job or a poor job in
trying to solve the problems it has had to face?"
.
GoodJob
PoorJob
Unsure
%
%
%
2/11-14/08
27
65
8
2/1-4/07
29
66
5
2/6-9/06
30
64
7
2/7-10/05
36
61
3
2/04
36
60
4
8/03
37
60
3
3/03
37
58
5
1/03
50
42
8
10/02
43
51
6
2/02
58
36
6
2/01
54
38
8
5/00
52
43
5
2/96
46
46
8
10/95
36
49
15
.
"Now thinking more specifically, which of the following
roles would you like to see the United Nations play in world affairs today?
Should it play a leading role where all countries are required to follow UN
policies; a major role, where the UN establishes policies, but where
individual countries still act separately when they disagree with the UN; or
should it play a minor role, with the UN serving mostly as a forum for
communication between nations, but with no policy making role?"
"I'd
like to get your feelings about some countries and governing organizations
who have been in the news and what sort of a relationship you feel they have
with the United States. I'll read the name of a country or governing
organization and I'd like you to rate how much of a friend or foe they are
to the U.S. using the feeling thermometer. You can choose any number between
0 and 100. The higher the number, the warmer or more friendly you feel they
are to the U.S. The lower the number, the colder or less friendly they are.
If we come to a country or governing organization who you haven't heard
enough about to form an opinion, you don't need to rate them. Just tell me
and we'll move on to the next one. How friendly or unfriendly do you thinkthe United Nationsis to the U.S.?"
