"American Public Attitude Toward ISIS and Syria"

Unit: Public Opinion

Link: http://www.brookings.edu/research/reports/2015/01/08-american-opinion-poll-isis-syria-telhami

Synopsis: In this article, Shibley Telhami explores the American beliefs related to the extremist group known as ISIS operating in Syria. At this time in September, the United States Congress decidedly supported  "degrading and ultimately destroying" the militant group. The strategy centered on stopping the massacres of innocent citizens and seizing territory in and around Syria. There was little data that existed on the opinion of the American public over the decision to support destroying ISIS or not. Telhami, a nonresident Senior Fellow for Brookings Center, surveyed the Americans views on the rise of the Islamic State and the federal government's work against Syria and Iraq. 70% of Americans believe that the rise of the Islamic State is the number one threat to the country. In terms of political parties, this same opinion holds as about 70% of Republicans, Republicans, and Independents agreed with the rest of the American public. Interestingly, 22% of Republicans believe that most Muslims support the Islamic State, with 6% Democrats having the same idea and 13% of Independents. 57% of Americans think that everything necessary should be done to protect the public. Yet although the American public thinks the issue is important, 57% of Americans oppose sending United States ground troops if airstrikes are not enough. 53% of Republicans are in favor of sending ground troops.

Analysis: This survey was conducted over a period of five days from November 14th to 19th in 2014. The sample size of the Americans surveyed numbered 1008 individuals. It was a random sampling, ensured by a larger standing panel called the KnowledgePanel managed by a research company called GfK. With a margin of error of plus or minus 3.4 percentage points, data showed would still indicate that the majority stands for each question relating to ISIS. Not any online user can simply volunteer, but picked through a scientific process using randomly generated addresses through the United State's Postal Service's Delivery Sequence File, then select people in each home are invited to participate in the poll by phone. Those without internet are given a computer and access to WiFi. A sample takes a survey, and their responses are compared to the demographics of the United States census. The data findings were weighted to this data.
The American public opinion by political party is interesting to explore, as Telhami's findings correlate with the stereotype that more conservative leanings like Republican Party members are more likely to favor large-scale military intervention than the Democrats. Even so, although the majority of Americans believe that ISIS is the number one threat facing the country and a majority believes everything possible can be done, the majority opinion opposed to ground troops means that the federal government needs to find other possible solutions to reducing the power of ISIS in the Middle East.