The document provides an overview of American public opinion on several international issues based on recent polls. It finds that while foreign policy issues are not top concerns for Americans, a majority are dissatisfied with the US role in the world. Regarding the conflict between Israel and Hamas, Americans see it as important and disapprove of Obama's handling of it. Around half sympathize more with Israel, though a majority think the US should treat both sides equally. Favorability of Israel has reached both a peak and lowest point over the past 5 years.

1. International
Affairs:
American
Public
Opinion
Landscape
August,
2014

2. 1
TABLE
OF
CONTENTS
1. Current
Poli.cal
Landscape…………….……………………………….……2
2. The
Gaza
Conflict….………..…………………………………………………….7
3. Russia
and
Ukraine…………………………………………………………..…15
4. Iraq……………………………………………………………………………………..25
5. Afghanistan…………………………………………………………………………34
Slide

3. 2
CURRENT
POLITICAL
LANDSCAPE
2

4. FOREIGN
POLICY
ISSUES
NOT
THE
MOST
IMPORTANT
PROBLEMS
FACING
THE
U.S.
3
July
7-­‐10,
2014
Immigra.on/Illegal
aliens
17%
Dissa.sfac.on
with
government
16%
Economy
in
general
15%
Unemployment
/
Jobs
14%
Healthcare
8%
Federal
budget
deficit
6%
Educa.on
5%
Ethics/Moral/Religious
decline
4%
July
7-­‐10,
2014
Foreign
aid
/
focus
overseas
3%
Lack
of
military
defense
1%
Interna.onal
issues,
problems
1%
Terrorism
1%
Wars/War
(nonspecific)/Fear
of
war
1%
Na.onal
security
1%
War/conflict
between
Middle
East
na.ons
1%
Situa.on/War
in
Afghanistan
1%
Situa.on
in
Iraq
*
Situa.on
in
Syria
*
What
do
you
think
is
the
most
important
problem
facing
this
country
today?
Source:
Gallup
Poll,
July
7
-­‐
10,
2014
*
Indicates
a
number
between
0
and
1%

5. OBAMA’S
JOB
APPROVAL
ON
FOREIGN
POLICY
CONTINUES
TO
SLIDE
4
Source:
Pollster.com
Aggregate
Data,
Latest
Poll
as
of
August
11,
2014
APPROVAL
%
Overall
approval
43%
Healthcare
41%
The
economy
39%
Foreign
policy
36%
Job
Approval
on
Foreign
Policy
worse
than
Economy
and
Healthcare
Disapprove
53.3%
Approve
35.6%
Job
Approval
on
Foreign
Policy

6. FOREIGN
POLICY
NO
LONGER
THE
PRESIDENT’S
BIGGEST
STRENGTH
5
56%
54%
48%
46%
46%
47%
48%
50%
49%
40%
40%
36%
Feb
2009
Aug
2009
Feb
2010
Aug
2010
Feb
2011
Aug
2011
Feb
2012
Aug
2012
Feb
2013
Aug
2013
Feb
2014
Aug
2014
Economy
Health
Care
Overall
Foreign
Policy
Job
Approval
on
Foreign
Policy
was
his
biggest
strength;
Now
it
is
his
lowest
ra.ng
Source:
Pollster.com
Aggregate
Data,
Latest
Poll
as
of
August
6,
2014
-­‐14%
Job
Approval
on…

7. AND
A
MAJORITY
OF
AMERICANS
DISSATISFIED
WITH
AMERICA’S
ROLE
IN
THE
WORLD
6
Very
sa.sfied,
6%
Somewhat
sa.sfied,
29%
Somewhat
dissa.sfied,
33%
Very
dissa.sfied,
29%
Not
sure,
3%
I’d
like
to
get
your
opinion
about
how
things
are
going
in
some
areas
of
our
society
today…
When
it
comes
to
America’s
role
in
the
world
are
you
very
sa.sfied,
somewhat
sa.sfied,
somewhat
dissa.sfied,
or
very
dissa.sfied
with
how
things
are
going
today?
62% are dissatisfied with America’s role in the world
Source:
NBC
News/Wall
Street
Journal
Survey,
July
30
–
August
3,
2014

8. THE
GAZA
CONFLICT

9. THE
CONFLICT
BETWEEN
ISRAEL
AND
HAMAS
IS
IMPORTANT
TO
A
MAJORITY
OF
AMERICANS
AND
THEY
DISAPPROVE
OF
HOW
THE
PRESIDENT
IS
HANDLING
IT
8
Source:
AP-­‐GfK
Poll,
July
24-­‐28,
2014
42%
28%
29%
Extremely/Very
important
Moderately
Important
Slightly/Not
at
all
important
How
important
are
each
of
the
following
issues
to
you
personally?
[The
conflict
between
Israel
and
Hamas]
Overall,
do
you
approve,
disapprove,
or
neither
approve
nor
disapprove
of
the
way
Barak
Obama
is
handling
[The
conflict
between
Israel
and
Hamas]
Approve
18%
Lean
toward
approving
19%
Don't
lean
either
way
2%
Lean
toward
disapproving
19%
Disapprove
41%

10. HALF
OF
AMERICANS
SYMPATHIZE
WITH
ISRAEL
OVER
THE
PALESTINIANS
9
Source:
Pew
Research
Center
Poll,
July
8
–
14,
2014
51%
14%
3%
15%
Israel
Pales.nians
Both
Neither
In
the
dispute
between
Israel
and
the
Pales.nians,
which
side
do
you
sympathize
with
more:
Israel
or
the
Pales.nians?
*Unsure/Refused
not
shown.

11. HOWEVER,
A
MAJORITY
OF
AMERICANS
THINK
THAT
WE
SHOULD
TREAT
BOTH
SIDES
EQUALLY
10
When
it
comes
to
the
conflict
between
the
Israelis
and
the
Pales.nians,
do
you
think
that
the
United
States
should
support
the
Israelis
more
than
the
Pales.nians,
support
the
Pales.nians
more
than
the
Israelis,
or
should
the
U.S.
treat
Israelis
and
the
Pales.nians
the
same
and
not
support
one
more
than
the
other?
Favor
Israelis
over
Pales.nians
34%
Favor
Pales.nians
over
Israelis
4%
Treat
Israelis
and
the
Pales.nians
the
same
53%
Not
sure
9%
Source:
NBC
News/Wall
Street
Journal
Survey,
July
30
–
August
3,
2014

12. THIS
YEAR,
FAVORABILITY
OF
ISRAEL
HAS
REACHED
BOTH
ITS
PEAK
AND
ITS
LOWEST
POINT
IN
5
YRS.
11
Source:
CNN/ORC
Poll,
July
18
–
20,
2014
69%
67%
65%
72%
60%
30%
32%
33%
24%
38%
Apr
2009
Jun
2010
May
2011
Jan
2014
Jul
2014
Favorable
Unfavorable
Next,
I’d
like
your
overall
opinion
of
some
foreign
countries.
Is
your
overall
opinion
of
each
of
the
following
very
favorable,
mostly
favorable,
mostly
unfavorable,
or
very
unfavorable?
[ISRAEL]
*”Unsure”
not
shown.

13. A
PLURALITY
BLAMES
HAMAS,
BUT
MORE
BLAME
ISRAEL
OR
BOTH
THAN
IN
PAST
CONFLICTS
12
Source:
Pew
Research
Center
Poll,
July
24
–
27,
2014
12%
12%
19%
42%
41%
40%
6%
5%
14%
2006
2009
2014
Israel
Hamas/Hezbollah
Both
Over
the
past
few
weeks
there
has
been
a
significant
military
conflict
between
Israel
and
Hamas
in
the
Gaza
Strip.
Who
do
you
think
is
most
responsible
for
the
current
violence?
+7
+9
*Unsure/Refused
not
shown.

14. OF
THOSE
WHO
HAVE
AN
OPINION,
MORE
ARE
DISSATISFIED
WITH
HOW
THE
U.S.
IS
DEALING
WITH
THE
CONFLICT
13
When
it
comes
to
how
the
United
States
is
dealing
with
the
conflict
between
Hamas
and
Israel
are
you
sa.sfied
or
dissa.sfied
with
our
ac.ons
or
do
you
not
know
enough
to
have
an
opinion
one
way
or
the
other?
[IF
DISSATISFIED]
And
is
this
because
the
United
States
has
gopen
too
involved
or
not
involved
enough?
Sa.sfied
17%
Don't
know
enough
to
have
an
opinion
35%
Not
sure
3%
Dissa.sfied,
too
involved
Dissa.sfied,
not
involved
enough
Dissa.sfied
45%
Source:
NBC
News/Wall
Street
Journal
Survey,
July
30
–
August
3,
2014
17%
28%

15. ULTIMATELY,
A
MAJORITY
OF
AMERICANS
DO
NOT
THINK
THERE
WILL
BE
A
LASTING
PEACE
AGREEMENT
14
Source:
NBC
News/Wall
Street
Journal/Marist
Poll
July
28
–
31,
2014
Do
you
believe
that
the
Israelis
and
Pales.nians
will
or
will
not
be
able
to
form
a
las.ng
peace
agreement
that
will
work?
Will
23%
Wil
not
62%
Unsure
15%

16. 15
RUSSIA
AND
UKRAINE

17. THREE
IN
FOUR
AMERICANS
FEEL
THAT
WHAT
HAPPENS
BETWEEN
RUSSIA
AND
UKRAINE
IS
VERY
IMPORTANT
16
Source:
Pew
Research
Center
Poll,
July
24
–
27,
2014
31%
36%
16%
13%
48%
35%
8%
5%
Very
important
Somewhat
important
Not
too
important
Not
at
all
important
April
July
How
important
to
the
interests
of
the
United
States
is
what
happens
between
Russia
and
Ukraine?
+17
83%
of
Americans
think
that
it
is
important
to
the
interests
of
the
U.S.
*Unsure/Refused
not
shown.

18. HOWEVER,
A
PLURALITY
IS
DISSATISFIED
WITH
HOW
THE
U.S.
IS
DEALING
WITH
THE
SITUATION
17
When
it
comes
to
how
the
United
States
is
dealing
with
the
conflict
between
Russia
and
the
Ukraine
are
you
sa.sfied
or
dissa.sfied
with
our
ac.ons
or
do
you
not
know
enough
to
have
an
opinion
one
way
or
the
other?
[IF
DISSATISFIED]
And
is
that
because
the
United
States
has
gopen
too
involved
or
not
involved
enough?
Sa.sfied
23%
Don't
know
enough
to
have
an
opinion
32%
Not
sure
2%
Dissa.sfied,
too
involved
Dissa.sfied,
not
involved
enough
Dissa.sfied
43%
Source:
NBC
News/Wall
Street
Journal
Survey,
July
30
–
August
3,
2014
15%
28%

19. HALF
OF
AMERICANS
THINK
THE
SANCTIONS
ARE
NOT
STRONG
ENOUGH
18
Do
you
think
the
sanc.ons
the
United
States
has
imposed
in
response
to
Russia’s
annexa.on
of
Crimea
have
been:
Too
strong
5%
About
right
38%
Not
strong
enough
53%
Refused
5%
Source:
AP-­‐GfK
Poll,
July
24-­‐28,
2014

20. AND
HALF
OF
AMERICANS
SUPPORT
EXPANDING
ECONOMIC
SANCTIONS
19
Given
Russia’s
annexa.on
of
Crimea
and
con.nued
support
of
the
Ukrainian
separa.st
movement,
would
you
support,
oppose
or
neither
support
nor
oppose
the
U.S.
taking
each
of
the
following
ac.ons:
Support
Neither
Oppose
Expanding
sanc.ons
against
Russia
so
that
they
target
the
Russian
economy,
including
its
energy
businesses
52%
34%
11%
Providing
military
support
to
na.ons
if
they
are
targeted
by
Russia
21%
41%
35%
Providing
financial
support
to
na.ons
if
they
are
targeted
by
Russia
21%
42%
33%
*Answers
for
Refused/Not
answered
not
shown.
Source:
AP-­‐GfK
Poll,
July
24-­‐28,
2014

21. NEARLY
HALF
OF
AMERICANS
SEE
RUSSIA
AS
A
SERIOUS
PROBLEM;
ONE
QUARTER
SEES
RUSSIA
AS
AN
ADVERSARY
20
Source:
Pew
Research
Center
Poll,
July
24
–
27,
2014
All
things
considered,
which
of
these
descrip.ons
comes
closest
to
your
view
of
Russia
today.
Do
you
think
Russia
is:
18%
15%
18%
26%
26%
48%
32%
36%
43%
49%
28%
42%
40%
22%
15%
Sept
2008
Oct
2009
Oct
2013
Mar
2014
Jul
2014
An
adversary
A
serious
problem
but
not
an
adversary
Not
much
of
a
problem
*Unsure/Refused
not
shown.

22. MOST
AMERICANS
THINK
THE
CRASH
WAS
LIKELY
CAUSED
BY
A
SEPARATIST
GROUP
IN
UKRAINE
21
Based
on
what
you
have
read
or
heard,
do
you
think
it
is
very
likely,
somewhat
likely,
somewhat
unlikely
or
very
unlikely
that
the
missile
that
caused
the
airplane
crash
was
launched
by
a
separa.st
group
in
Ukraine?
Very
likely
56%
Somewhat
likely
24%
Somewhat
unlikely
6%
Very
unlikely
8%
No
Opinion
7%
80%
think
that
it
was
likely
caused
by
a
separa.st
group
Source:
CNN/ORC
Poll,
July
18-­‐20,
2014

23. AND
HALF
OF
AMERICANS
THINK
THAT
RUSSIA
IS
INDIRECTLY
RESPONSIBLE
FOR
THE
CRASH
22
Just
your
best
guess
–
based
on
what
you
have
read
or
heard,
do
you
think
Russia
is
directly
responsible
for
the
crash
of
the
airplane,
indirectly
responsible,
or
not
responsible
at
all?
34%
51%
11%
Directly
responsible
Indirectly
responsible
Not
responsible
at
all
Source:
CNN/ORC
Poll,
July
18-­‐20,
2014
*No
opinion
not
shown

24. A
PLURALITY
OF
AMERICANS
ARE
DISSATISFIED
WITH
THE
U.S.’S
ACTIONS
IN
DEALING
WITH
THE
CRASH
23
When
it
comes
to
how
the
United
States
is
dealing
with
the
commercial
airline
shot
down
in
Ukraine
are
you
sa.sfied
or
dissa.sfied
with
our
ac.ons
or
do
you
not
know
enough
to
have
an
opinion
one
way
or
the
other?
[IF
DISSATISFIED]
And
is
that
because
the
United
States
has
gopen
too
involved
or
not
involved
enough?
Sa.sfied
26%
Don't
know
enough
to
have
an
opinion
33%
Not
sure
4%
Dissa.sfied,
too
involved
Dissa.sfied,
not
involved
enough
Dissa.sfied
37%
Source:
NBC
News/Wall
Street
Journal
Survey,
July
30
–
August
3,
2014
7%
30%

25. IF
RUSSIA
IS
SHOWN
TO
BE
RESPONSIBLE
-­‐
MOST
AMERICANS
THINK
THAT
THE
U.S.
SHOULD
RESPOND
WITH
SANCTIONS
24
If
there
is
clear
evidence
that
Russia
is
responsible
for
the
airplane
crash,
what
do
you
think
the
United
States
should
do
in
response:
19%
71%
9%
No
ac.on
Sanc.ons
Military
Ac.on
Source:
CNN/ORC
Poll,
July
18-­‐20,
2014
*No
opinion
not
shown.

26. 25
IRAQ
25

27. A
MAJORITY
OF
AMERICANS
CONTINUES
TO
BELIEVE
THAT
THE
WAR
IN
IRAQ
WAS
A
MISTAKE
26
Source:
Quinnipiac
University
Poll,
June
24-­‐30,
2014
39%
37%
35%
38%
33%
36%
36%
36%
32%
55%
57%
59%
55%
62%
58%
60%
60%
61%
Apr
2007
Jun
2007
Aug
2007
Oct
2007
May
2008
Nov
2008
Feb
2009
Oct
2011
Jun
2014
Wrong
thing
Right
thing
Do
you
think
going
to
war
with
Iraq
in
2003
was
the
right
thing
for
the
United
States
to
do
or
the
wrong
thing?
*Unsure/No
Answer
not
shown.

28. AND
A
MAJORITY
THINKS
HISTORY
WILL
JUDGE
THE
WAR
IN
IRAQ
AS
A
FAILURE
27
Source:
AP-­‐GfK
Poll,
July
24-­‐28,
2014
Just
your
best
guess,
how
do
you
think
history
will
judge
the
war
in
Iraq?
78%
think
it
will
be
judged
a
failure
1%
18%
55%
23%
Complete
Success
More
of
a
success
than
a
failure
More
of
a
failure
than
a
success
Complete
failure
*Refused/Not
Answered
not
shown.

29. MOST
AMERICANS
THINK
IT
WAS
THE
RIGHT
DECISION
TO
WITHDRAW
TROOPS
FROM
IRAQ
28
Source:
AP-­‐GfK
Poll,
July
24-­‐28,
2014
Overall,
do
you
think
the
United
States
did
the
right
thing
or
the
wrong
thing
by
withdrawing
most
of
its
troops
from
Iraq
in
2011?
Right
thing
70%
Wrong
thing
27%
Refused
3%

30. A
MAJORITY
OF
AMERICANS
THINK
THAT
GETTING
INVOLVED
IN
THE
CURRENT
CONFLICT
IS
NOT
IN
THE
NATIONAL
INTEREST
29
Source:
Quinnipiac
University
Poll,
June
24-­‐30,
2014
56%
39%
Not
in
the
na.onal
interest
In
the
na.onal
interest
Do
you
think
it
is
in
the
na.onal
interest
of
the
United
States
to
be
involved
in
the
conflict
in
Iraq,
or
not?
*Unsure/No
answer
not
shown.

31. THEREFORE,
A
MAJORITY
OF
AMERICANS
OPPOSE
SENDING
GROUND
TROOPS
BACK
INTO
IRAQ
30
Source:
Quinnipiac
University
Poll,
June
24-­‐30,
2014
Support
29%
Oppose
63%
Unsure
8%
Do
you
support
or
oppose
the
U.S.
sending
ground
troops
back
into
Iraq
to
help
the
Iraqi
government
defeat
Islamic
militants?

32. HOWEVER,
A
PLURALITY
OF
AMERICANS
ARE
DISSATISFIED
WITH
HOW
THE
U.S.
IS
HANDLING
THE
RISE
OF
ISIS
31
When
it
comes
to
how
the
United
States
is
dealing
with
the
rise
of
the
terrorists
group
Isis
in
Iraq
are
you
sa.sfied
or
dissa.sfied
with
our
ac.ons
or
do
you
not
know
enough
to
have
an
opinion
one
way
or
the
other?
[IF
DISSATISFIED]
And
is
this
because
the
United
States
has
gopen
too
involved
or
not
involved
enough?
Sa.sfied
14%
Don't
know
enough
to
have
an
opinion
40%
Not
sure
4%
Dissa.sfied,
too
involved
Dissa.sfied,
not
involved
enough
Dissa.sfied
42%
Source:
NBC
News/WallStreet
Journal
Survey,
July
30
–
August
3,
2014
12%
30%

33. AND
AMERICANS
ARE
DIVIDED
ON
AIR
STRIKES
AGAINST
THE
SUNNI
INSURGENTS
32
45%
46%
8%
Support
Oppose
No
opinion
Overall,
do
you
support
or
oppose
U.S.
airstrikes
against
the
Sunni
insurgents
in
Iraq?
Source:
ABC
News/Washington
Post
Poll,
June
18-­‐22,
2014

34. MOST
AMERICANS
DO
NOT
THINK
THAT
A
DEMOCRATIC
GOVERNMENT
WILL
BE
ESTABLISHED
33
Source:
AP-­‐GfK
Poll,
July
24-­‐28,
2014
Very/
somewhat
likely
16%
Not
too/not
at
all
likely
80%
Refused/Not
Answered
3%
How
likely
is
it
that
a
stable,
democra.c
government
will
be
established
in
Iraq?

35. AFGHANISTAN
34

36. A
MAJORITY
THINKS
THE
SITUATION
IN
AFGHANISTAN
IS
IMPORTANT
AND
DISAPPROVES
OF
HOW
THE
PRESIDENT
IS
HANDLING
IT
35
Source:
AP-­‐GfK
Poll,
July
24-­‐28,
2014
40%
31%
28%
Extremely/Very
Important
Moderately
Important
Slightly/Not
Important
How
important
are
each
of
the
following
issues
to
you
personally?
[The
Situa.on
in
Afghanistan]
Approve
22%
Lean
toward
approving
15%
Don't
lean
either
way
2%
Lean
towards
disapproving
15%
Disapprove
45%
Overall,
do
you
approve,
disapprove,
or
neither
approve
nor
disapprove
of
the
way
Barak
Obama
is
handling
[The
Situa.on
in
Afghanistan]

37. MOST
AMERICANS
THINK
HISTORY
WILL
REMEMBER
THE
AFGHAN
WAR
AS
A
FAILURE
36
Source:
AP-­‐GfK
Poll,
July
24-­‐28,
2014
2%
21%
51%
23%
Complete
success
More
of
a
successs
than
failure
More
of
a
failure
than
success
Complete
failure
Just
your
best
guess,
how
do
you
think
history
will
judge
the
war
in
Afghanistan?
74%
*Refused/Not
Answered
not
shown.

38. AND
MOST
AMERICANS
SAY
THE
U.S.
DID
THE
RIGHT
THING
BY
PLANNING
TO
WITHDRAW
37
Source:
AP-­‐GfK
Poll,
July
24-­‐28,
2014
Right
thing
70%
Wrong
thing
26%
Refused
4%
Overall,
do
you
think
the
United
States
is
doing
the
right
thing
or
the
wrong
thing
by
planning
to
withdraw
most
of
its
troops
from
Afghanistan
in
2014?

39. HOWEVER,
HALF
OF
AMERICANS
NOW
THINK
THE
SITUATION
IN
AFGHANISTAN
WILL
GET
WORSE
38
Source:
AP-­‐GfK
Poll,
July
24-­‐28,
2014
31%
19%
22%
16%
11%
23%
29%
31%
32%
50%
44%
49%
46%
51%
37%
Dec
2009
Aug
2010
Sept
2010
Dec
2013
Jul
2014
Get
beSer
Over
the
next
year,
do
you
expect
the
situa.on
in
Afghanistan
to:
Get
worse
Stay
about
the
same
+18
*Refused/Not
Answered
not
shown.

40. AND
ULTIMATELY,
MOST
AMERICANS
THINK
THAT
IT
IS
NOT
LIKELY
THAT
A
DEMOCRATIC
GOVERNMENT
WILL
BE
ESTABLISHED
39
Source:
AP-­‐GfK
Poll,
July
24-­‐28,
2014
Very
likely
2%
Somewhat
likely
18%
Not
too
likely
50%
Not
at
all
likely
28%
Refused/Not
answered
2%
How
likely
is
it
that
a
stable,
democra.c
government
will
be
established
in
Afghanistan?
78%
say
it
is
not
too
or
not
at
all
likely
that
a
stable
democra.c
government
will
be
established

41. 40
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