Ahead of the annual State of the Union, President Obama is getting low marks on his handling of the relationship with one of America’s most trusted allies. Only 31 percent of Americans believe Obama is a close and reliable friend of Israel and a majority of 51% believe Obama has not done all he can to prevent Iran developing nuclear weapons, according to a poll conducted by the Mclaughlin Group for the Zionist Organization of America released Tuesday.
According to the poll, only 28% of Americans believe that President Obama has taken the necessary steps to stop Iran;s advance of nuclear weapons. A large majority of 59% of Americans believe that the U.S. should impose stronger sanctions on Iran to convince it to stop developing nuclear weapons, as opposed to 17% who believe the U.S. should ease the sanctions regime on Iran to convince it to stop developing nuclear weapons.
Only 31% of Americans believe that President Barack Obama is a close and reliable friend of Israel, as opposed to 38% who believe that he is not.
Among other results, 47% of Americans believe that Israeli Jews should have the right to live in the West Bank in part for Israel to self-defend its borders, whereas only 14% of Americans believe only Palestinian Arabs should have the right to live there. A majority of 55% of Americans believe that Jerusalem should remain the undivided capital of Israel, and 63% of Americans believe that the Palestinians should recognize Israel as the sovereign state of the Jewish people.
“The results of this latest, very detailed and highly representative survey of American opinion show gratifyingly high, indeed, overwhelming levels of support for positions Israel takes, as opposed to the position the Obama Administration takes, said ZOA National President Morton A. Klein. “President Obama and Secretary of State Kerry should heed these results. They should understand that the American people expect our government to support Israel; stop promoting a Palestinian state; stop condemning Jewish communities in Judea/Samaria and eastern Jerusalem as ‘illegitimate’; support Jerusalem as Israel’s undivided capital; stop funding the PA and impose stronger sanctions on Iran to persuade it to terminate its nuclear weapons program.”
(Jacob Kornbluh – YWN)
The poll surveyed a large, nationwide cross-section of 1000 Americans, consisting of Protestants (46%), Catholics (30%), Jews (3.6%), African Americans (13%), Hispanics (12%), Asians (3%) and Whites (70%). Politically, the respondents were 42% Democratic supporters and 41% Republican supporters.
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8 Responses
The tone of the article suggests he is somehow picking on Israel. He is in fact making the US into a false friend of many allies by being unwilling to support them when they need help, and by undermining the American military by reducing it to a level similar to the period of isolationism prior to (and perhaps resulting in) World War II. Remember that until recently, the US was dependent on Islamic oil and it was always a concern that would influence policy on Israel – but the US is now able to export oil, and would profit greatly if oil prices rose since our exports would be worth more. The reality is that there is growing support for isolationism and Obama (and most of the American left, and much of the right) have jumped on board. Countries such as Israel (and Japan, South Korea, and the anti-“jihad” groups in the Islamic world) should be watching their backs.
The headline of this article says: “A Majority of Americans Believe Obama Is An Unreliable Friend of Israel”
I expected to read in the article that at least 51% believe this. Instead, the article says: “Only 31% of Americans believe that President Barack Obama is a close and reliable friend of Israel, as opposed to 38% who believe that he is not.”
From the 31% who say he is reliable, you deduced that 69% (a nice majority) believe he is NOT. However, from the 38% who say that he is not reliable, you could equally deduce that 62% (also a nice majority) believe he IS reliable.
Could you please explain your logic to your readers?
He’s not an ‘unreliable friend’. He’s an enemy.
What people believe about President Obama is not necessarily what is true about President Obama. Lots of people believed – and some still do – that he is foreign born, that he is Muslim, that he is socialist, that he hates America, that he hates white people, that he spends too much taxpayer money on vacations.
Israel has tough decisions to make about its borders, its Arab citizens, the recruiting its army, and destroying the war-making capabilities of its enemies. Israel cannot stand alone against its enemies, and the US cannot be bound by the mercurial politics of Israel. What Israel needs from the US is a strong partner that can enforce its (the US’s) decisions and influence Israel’s enemies and non-friends (e.g., Egypt). I think many people mistake tough talk for toughness and strength. I also think that the President is following the right path to protect Israel.
Poll: A Majority of Americans Believe Obama Is An Unreliable Friend of America.
Enemy of Israel, enemy of Eqypt, Enemy of Syria, Friend of Iran
Not only is Obama an enemy of the Jews and Israel but the people he is around hate Jews and israel
A true friend of Israel is Canadian PM Harper. Obama is a snake in the grass.