Public opinion is always hard to gauge, but here are some resources to help us think about what people are thinking and how the peace community should craft our messages to prevent war.
Polling.com The polls from this site seemed mix. People are not necessarily for war, but they seem to believe a firm stand to stop Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons is in order.
War on Iran? Most American, Israeli Citizens Oppose: 64% of Israelis favor a nuclear-free zone – Common Dreams staff
National Journal: United Technologies/National Journal “Congressional Connection Poll” Jan 30, 2012 – Those surveyed were asked “how far do you think the United States should go to prevent” Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. Some 47 percent favored economic sanctions against Iran, but only 13 percent said the U.S. should “go farther and take covert action against Iran such as sabotage and assassination of scientists working on their weapons program,” and just 17 percent would go still farther and “take military action against Iran, including bombing weapons facilities inside the country.”
Anwar Sadat Chair at the University of Maryland and the Program on International Policy Attitudes (PIPA) Nov 10-116, 2011 University of Maryland poll Nearly two-thirds of Israeli Jews, 64 percent, favor establishing a nuclear free zone in the Middle East – even when it was spelled out that this would mean both Israel and Iran would have to forego nuclear weapons . See PDF of poll here.
Politico November 11, 2011 Poll: Half Could Support Iran Attack (This is a really mixed survey. You must read this one.)
CBS/Vanity Fair Poll October, 2010: This is an old poll, but the the response to the question, Which would cause you to support a war with Iran? is very interesting. It looks like the survey is still open. This link leads to comments about the survey and this leads directly to the survey. Part of the results: 30% say the support war only if Iran attacks U.S. soil and 27% say nothing can get them to support war.
