79% in Japan oppose U.S. offensive in Iraq: survey
Nearly 79 percent of those who responded to a recent Kyodo News phone survey said they oppose a U.S.-led military attack on Iraq, the news agency said Monday. Some 78.7 percent of respondents to the weekend survey voiced opposition toward an attack, with just 15.5 percent expressing support. Some 48.5 percent of respondents said that the Japanese government should not support a military strike, an increase of 9.7 percentage points from a similar survey conducted in January. Meanwhile, 20.9 percent said the government should support a strike, down from the 29.6 percent recorded in the January poll.
When asked whether they would support a dispatch of the Self-Defense Forces to Iraq to assist in reconstruction efforts after a military campaign, 47.4 percent of respondents said they would, up 3.8 percentage points from the January survey. Some 46.1 percent of respondents said they would not support a dispatch of this kind. Eighty-two percent of respondents voiced fear that an attack on Iraq would affect Japan’s economy and their daily lives, well above the 15.1 percent who voiced optimism on these matters. When asked to name specific areas of concern, 65.3 percent said they fear that the price of crude oil could rise sharply, leading to an increase in kerosene and gasoline prices. Some 27.5 percent of respondents said that a war would further depress the economy and lead to more unemployment and corporate bankruptcies, while 27.4 percent said terrorism fears would deter people from taking overseas trips.
Why should that surprise us??.. That is exactly the case about every country around the globe.. Except a few 'regimes' that are hell-bent on waging this 'war', more of a holocaust and genocide of the poor.
Public opinion in North America is overwhelmingly against this war, as it is across Europe and Africa, and now as we see in Asia. How many countries are there in the world where public opinion clearly supports this US-led war?
So nice that you are an expert on US public opinion.
The latest ABC/Wash Post poll shows that those favoring removal of Saddam by force out numbers those opposed by more than two to one.
Opposition to force may be loud, but it is not necessarily representative of the country on the whole.
Would you favor or oppose having U.S. forces take military action against Iraq to force Saddam Hussein from power? Would you say you favor/oppose military action against Iraq strongly or only somewhat?
---------Favor--------- ---------Oppose-------- No
NET Strongly Somewhat NET Strongly Somewhat op.
Malik yaar, Ohioguy missed the point of ur thread. The poll in your link is the one conducted in Japan and not in North Amreeka. Many such polls have been conducted from time to time in several western european countries and the public opinion in those countries is overwhelmingly againt war on Iraq.
The opinion of the American public doesnt represent that of the Worldwide public opinion.
The opinion of the American public doesnt represent that of the Worldwide public opinion.
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Exactly, but American's think it does, and when someone challenges their foreign policy they are invariably called "anti-American", when in reality they cannot counter the opposition.
Exactly, but American's think it does, and when someone challenges their foreign policy they are invariably called "anti-American", when in reality they cannot counter the opposition.
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That's absolutely ridiculous. American's don't think their public opinion is reflective of worldwide public opinion at all. We form our opinions based upon our own independent judgments without regard to what people in other countires think. And, we know our opinion is right.
If you don't like our attitude, don't like our opinion, and don't like our policies, I would define that as being anti-American. I just can't figure out why all the folks who are clearly anti-American don't want to proudly wear the label.
MV,
I think they don’t like to wear their anti-American labels openly because they will have to admit their biases which obviously invalidates most of their arguments. But I’m with you – do they really think just because they don’t admit it that other people don’t get it?
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*Originally posted by myvoice: *
If you don't like our attitude, don't like our opinion, and don't like our policies, I would define that as being anti-American.
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Your simplistic definition would make a lot of ordinary people in Europe, Asia and North America anti-american. If thats the case, then dont you think something maybe inherently biased or faulty with ur attitude, opinion and policies? Blah!
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That's absolutely ridiculous. American's don't think their public opinion is reflective of worldwide public opinion at all. We form our opinions based upon our own independent judgments without regard to what people in other countires think. And, we know our opinion is right.
If you don't like our attitude, don't like our opinion, and don't like our policies, I would define that as being anti-American. I just can't figure out why all the folks who are clearly anti-American don't want to proudly wear the label.
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1 - The opposition knows they are right too. Where does that bring us??
2 - By your definition the majority of the world is anti-American, but also the majority of America would be anti-European, anti-African, anti-Asian.. etc. Considering that, Americans would be in a greater moral loss than they claim others to be for equal reasons.
Seminole writes:
“I think they don’t like to wear their anti-American labels openly because they will have to admit their biases which obviously invalidates most of their arguments.”
I suspect you are right. However, most of the time, I respect people who openly admit their biases upfront and then can enjoy addressing the merits of their arguments. When people deny, deny and deny their biases when they are clear, it tends to diminish any credence in the rest of what they say.
5Abi writes:
“Your simplistic definition would make a lot of ordinary people in Europe, Asia and North America anti-american. If thats the case, then dont you think something maybe inherently biased or faulty with ur attitude, opinion and policies? Blah! “
I have no doubt that Americans are inherently biased respecting their attitudes, opinions and policies. Our policies and our government is responsible for taking care of Americans first. Every country ought to be biased in favor of its own people. And every people ought to be biased in favor of their fellow citizens first.
Spoon writes:
“By your definition the majority of the world is anti-American, but also the majority of America would be anti-European, anti-African, anti-Asian.. etc. Considering that, Americans would be in a greater moral loss than they claim others to be for equal reasons. “
I’m not sure what the percentage is but I wouldn’t argue too fiercely against your statement that the “majority of the world is anti-American.” As to Americans being anti-European, anti-African, anti-Asian, etc., I would disagree because America and Americans don’t expect anything from most of the rest of the world and we do not have our hands out expecting them to give us anything. Nor do we much care what foreign policies they have as long as they don’t include physically harming Americans, harboring terrorists, threatening the peace and/or beating up on our friends.
