A majority of Americans support a U.S.-led military effort meant to prevent Iran from attaining nuclear weapons, highlighting stark differences between the American public and President Obama on the issue, according to a CBS News/New York Times poll.
Fifty-one percent of Americans said they favor an attack on Iran, which is suspected of clandestinely pursuing nuclear arms and refuses to honestly engage with United Nations inspectors over the issue.
Just 36 percent of respondents opposed an attack, while 13 percent remain unsure, according to the poll, which was conducted using more than 1,000 adults nationwide between March 7 and 11.
Support for a U.S. military strike against Iran was stronger among Republicans, 66 percent of whom said they favored an attack. Forty percent of Democrats adopted the same stance.
The poll also found that a large number of Americans—most of them Republicans—back Israel’s right to strike Iran, despite President Obama’s repeated objections.
CBS News reports:
More respondents also say they think the U.S. should support Israel in the event the country undertakes its own military effort against Iran than those who say the U.S. should oppose it. According to the survey, 47 percent of Americans say the U.S. should support Israel in the event of an attack, while 42 percent say the U.S. should not get involved.
That question, too, was divided along partisan lines. Republicans overwhelmingly (72 percent) say they would want the U.S. to get involved, while Democrats (55 percent) and independents (44 percent) say the U.S. should not get involved.
Americans, however, are divided on Obama’s handling of the situation, with 39 percent disapproving of his push for increased diplomacy with Iran:
Americans are split on President Obama's handling of the situation in Iran: 42 percent approve and 39 percent disapprove. Nineteen percent say they don't know. Sixty-five percent of Republicans disapprove, and 63 percent of Democrats approve. Independents are divided, with 42 percent approving and 36 percent disapproving. Twenty-two percent of independents said they don't know.