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 Pressure Mounts For U.N. Chief To Visit Iraq (02-16-98)
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Support Drops For Military Strikes Against IraqA new poll finds 54 percent favor continued diplomatic, economic pressureBy Keating Holland/CNN 
WASHINGTON (Feb. 16) -- A new poll indicates support for military strikes to pressure Iraq into complying with U.N. sanctions has dropped significantly since the start of February. Fifty-four percent of the country would prefer to resolve the current situation in Iraq by continuing to use diplomatic pressure and economic sanctions, although the public would approve of military action if it were taken, according to a new CNN/USA Today/Gallup Poll. Nearly two-thirds say the goal of a U.S. attack should be to remove Iraqi President Saddam Hussein from power, rather than the Clinton Administration's stated goals of reducing Iraq's ability to develop weapons of mass destruction and to threaten neighboring countries. Americans don't think that air strikes alone will be enough to remove Saddam from power, although they do think air strikes would reduce Iraq's ability to make weapons of mass destruction. Americans would oppose air strikes against Saddam's weapons sites if those strikes would result in substantial U.S. military casualties. The results are based on interviews with 1,014 adults Feb. 13-15, and the survey has a margin of sampling error of +/- 3 to 5 percentage points, depending on the question. Here are the numbers:
Two-thirds approve of Clinton's handling of the crisisA majority of the public thinks Hussein, not President Bill Clinton, has been the winner in recent confrontations between the U.S. and Iraq. Nonetheless, 65 percent approve of how Clinton has handled the situation in Iraq, up from 48 percent who felt that way at the end of January. Most Americans believe Clinton has adequately explained why military action may need to be taken in Iraq. And 52 percent say the Monica Lewinsky sex-and-perjury controversy is not distracting Clinton as he attempts to handle the Iraqi situation.
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Monday February 16, 1998
• Lewinsky's Attorney Wants Starr To Take Polygraph
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