Despite a steady barrage of corporate media reports and White House statements claiming that Iran has a secret nuclear weapons program, less than one in 10 US residents favour taking immediate military action against Iran, according to a February 9-12 CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll. The Gallup News Service reported on February 15: “Fully one-half of Americans think that if Iran does develop nuclear weapons, it is 'very likely’ Iran would provide those weapons to terrorists to use against the United States. Another 30% think this is somewhat likely. A majority of Americans also think it is at least somewhat likely that the Iranian government would use nuclear weapons directly against the United States and Israel, although only 30% think this is very likely in terms of the United States.” However, only 9% of those surveyed favour immediate action by the US against Iran, while 68% would use sanctions and diplomacy first; another 18% would do nothing. “When those who favour sanctions and diplomacy were asked what should happen if those methods fail, 4 in 10 said they would then exercise the military option, while about half were still opposed to that course.”

From Green Left Weekly, February 22, 2006.
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