Thursday, May 21, 2009

Majority of Americans see Iran as danger, Netanyahu has a 41% favorable rate

(JTA) -- Nearly three-quarters of Americans say their country won't be safe with a nuclear-armed Iran.

In a poll released this week, 71 percent of Americans say the United States won't be safe with a nuclear Iran. Seventy-nine percent said if Iran acquired a weapon, it was likely to provide it to terrorists to attack an American city. A slightly larger number, 80 percent, said Iran was likely to fire a missile at Israel.

The survey of 600 likely voters was conducted May 8-9 by McLaughlin & Associates and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percent.

Respondents also reported a 41 percent net favorable rating -- somewhat favorable or very favorable -- of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.


Eighty-two percent of respondents said the United States should be concerned about the security of Israel, and 57 percent said Israel would be justified in attacking Iranian nuclear facilities. Approximately the same figure, 58 percent, approved an American attack on Iranian nuclear facilities.