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VOTERS DON'T LIKE HIS ANTI-MISSILE SHIELD STANCE, EITHER

These poll numbers were released earlier today by Rasmussen Reports -- "an electronic publishing firm specializing in the collection, publication, and distribution of public opinion polling information."

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31% Agree With Decision To Halt Anti-Missile Shield, 38% Disagree

Monday, September 21, 2009

Voters have mixed feelings about President Obama's decision to halt the deployment of a proposed anti-missile shield in Eastern Europe, but many worry that it will hurt America's relationship with its European allies.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 31% of voters agree with the decision to stop the shield, but 38% disagree. Thirty-two percent (32%) are not sure what's best to do.

Fifty-eight percent (58%) of Republicans oppose the president's decision, a view shared by the plurality (43%) of voters not affiliated with either major political party but only 15% of Democrats.

Among all voters, just 23% think the decision not to deploy the ground-based system will help America's relationship with European countries. Forty-three percent (43%) say it will hurt that relationship, while 12% say it will have no impact. Twenty-two percent (22%) aren't sure.

Again, Republicans are more than three times as likely as Democrats to say the president's action will hurt U.S. relations with Europe. Forty-nine percent (49%) of unaffiliateds agree.

Russia has strongly opposed the deployment of the ground-based anti-missile system planned by President George W. Bush. The Obama administration hopes halting the shield will encourage the Russians to join the United States in efforts to curb Iran's development of nuclear weapons .

Forty-one percent (41%) of voters say Russia is now at least somewhat likely to help the United States deal with concerns about Iran's nuclear weapons program, including 13% who say it is very likely.

But 48% say the president's decision to stop the shield deployment is unlikely to make the Russians help the United States put the brakes on Iran's nuclear weapons program, with 32% who say it is not very likely and 16% who say it's not at all likely.

Democrats are far more confident than Republicans and unaffiliated voters that Russia will now help the United States deal with Iran.

As for America's relationship with Russia, 34% of voters say it will be better one year from now than it is today. Thirty-six percent (36%) disagree and say the relationship will not be better, and 30% are not sure.

In early July, only 18% supported stopping the anti-missile shield's deployment in an effort to improve relations with Russia.

Twenty-seven percent (27%) of Americans say Russia is an enemy of the United States , while 17% view it as an ally . Fifty percent (50%) think of Russia as somewhere in between.

Obama traveled to Moscow in early July, and the United States and Russia at that time signed an agreement to reduce their nuclear weapons stockpiles. Just 22% of voters trust Russia to honor that agreement .

Iran continues to remain at the top of list of countries that most Americans regard as an enemy of the United States, rivaled only by North Korea .

In May, 49% of Americans said that if Israel launches an attack against Iran because of fears about its nuclear program , the United States should help Israel.

Great Britain, Germany and France are high on the list of nations that Americans regard as U.S. allies.

Thirty-seven percent (37%) of voters in April agreed with Obama's statement that the United States has shown arrogance, been dismissive and even derisive in dealing with its European allies over the years. Forty-seven percent (47%) disagreed.

Seventy-one percent (71%) of voters say they have been following news reports about the president's decision to halt deployment of an anti-missile shield in Europe, with 39% following very closely. Nine percent (9%) say they are not following the news stories at all.

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To view the original report, please use this link:  Is Obama Jepardizing National Security? 

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