Large majorities of Americans still approve of the way President Bush is handling policies to deal with the threat posed by Iraq and Saddam. Bush's job approval rating is 61 percent.
Large majorities of Americans still approve of the way President Bush is handling policies to deal with the threat posed by Iraq and Saddam. Bush's job approval rating is 61 percent.

Most say Powell was convincing in his speech to the Security Council; a large majority believes Saddam harbouring Al Qaeda members. A greater number of Americans are willing to 'go it alone' .

The poll shows that a 60-percent majority of Americans polled say they would support US military action in Iraq if the UN weapons inspectors do not find evidence that Iraq has chemical, biological or nuclear weapons; and 60 percent would support US military forces occupying the country for five years after the fighting stops. 60 percent say Powell was at least somewhat convincing [35% say very, 25% say somewhat] that Iraq is actively supporting Al Qaeda terrorists.

Fifty-two percent of Americans say the US should give inspectors a month or less to continue looking for banned weapons before taking military action against Iraq: thirty-three percent of those polled say the US should give the UN weapons inspectors less than a month; just 31 percent say the inspectors should be given as much time as the inspectors think is necessary.

A full 74-percent of Americans polled believe that Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq is harboring Al Qaeda terrorists and helping them to develop chemical weapons. That number is consistent with the Newsweek Poll taken September 26-27, 2002.

Nonetheless, an 85-percent majority say they'd support US military action against Iraq if the US joined with its major allies and with the full support of the UN Security Council, the current poll shows. And just 37-percent approve of military action if the US had to attack alone.

Eighty-six percent of those polled say the attack against Iraq would inspire terrorist attacks against American citizens; 76-percent say Iraq would retaliate by using biological or chemical weapons against the US and 73-percent say Iraq would retaliate by using such weapons against Israel, the poll shows.

If the US does not take military action against Iraq, 83 percent of those polled say Saddam would then be instrumental in helping Al Qaeda terrorists carry out future attacks against the United States and 75-percent say Iraq would use weapons of mass destruction against a neighbouring country.

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