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Letter to the editor

Skepticism grows over foreign policy goals

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published October 24, 2007

WASHINGTON - Fewer people think the United States is adequately thwarting terrorists, meeting its objectives in Iraq or achieving other goals overseas, according to a poll that shows a deepening skepticism about the country's foreign policy.

The survey also shows people in the United States have flagging hopes that a range of strategies and policies - from improving intelligence operations to showing more respect for other countries - can do much to keep the nation safe.

"We are reaching a point where the public seems to be questioning not just whether current policies are working, but whether the United States can have an effective foreign policy at all," said a report accompanying the survey, conducted last month for Public Agenda, a nonpartisan public policy group, and the journal Foreign Affairs.

Asked to assign grades to the United States for meeting foreign policy goals, 48 percent awarded A's or B's for giving terrorism the attention it deserves. The number giving those grades was 10 percentage points lower than when the question was asked in 2005.

The survey also found:

-Most think global cooperation can reduce global warming, but also doubt the United States can keep other countries from getting nuclear weapons or keep oil supplies stable and reasonably priced.

-Seventy-nine percent said the world has become more dangerous for the United States.

-People ranked the Middle East as the top U.S. foreign policy problem, with four in 10 choosing it.

The telephone survey of 1,011 adults was conducted Sept. 17-27. It had a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

[Last modified October 24, 2007, 01:16:28]