Poll: Many Americans Worry About Nuclear Terrorism
By Keating Holland/CNN
WASHINGTON (June 16) -- Although the public thinks the chances of the United States getting involved in a nuclear war with another country are remote, half of all Americans believe that terrorists will explode a nuclear bomb in the U.S. within the next 10 years, according to a new CNN/USA Today/Gallup Poll.
Seventy-one percent predict other countries will use nuclear weapons against each other by the year 2008. Just more than a third say the U.S. will get into a nuclear war in the next decade, a relatively low figure in comparison to fears of terrorism, but much higher than the number who felt that way in 1990 after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the poll also found.
Attitudes toward nuclear weapons have completely reversed themselves since the start of the Cold War. In 1949, 59 percent of people surveyed said the development of the atomic bomb was a good thing. Today, 61 percent feel nuclear weapons are a bad thing.
The survey polled 1,003 adults June 5-7 and has a margin of sampling error of +/- 3 percentage points.
U.S. Will Get Into Nuclear War In Next 10 Years |
Likely Unlikely | 37% 61% |
Terrorists Will Use Nuclear Weapon in U.S. in Next 10 Years |
Likely Unlikely | 50% 47% |
Other Countries Will Use Nuclear Weapons Against Each Other in Next 10 Years |
Likely Unlikely | 71% 27% |
U.S. Will Get Into Nuclear War In Next 10 Years |
Likely Unlikely | Now 37% 61% | 1990 21% 75% |
Development of Nuclear Weapons |
Likely Unlikely | Now 36% 61% | 1949 59% 29% |
Only 41 percent of the American public thinks that nuclear proliferation threatens the national security of the U.S., but two-thirds see the spread of nuclear weapons to new countries as a threat to world peace.
Yet the public's perception of either threat depends on which country has the bomb. Americans say China's nuclear capability is a threat to the national security of the U.S., but they don't feel threatened by India or Pakistan's nuclear weapons, though Pakistan is seen as a greater threat to the U.S. than India.
Surprisingly, Americans do not believe that Russia's nuclear capacity poses a serious threat to the U.S. But they would feel threatened if Iran or Iraq developed their own nuclear weapons, although they see no threat in an Israeli or Brazilian bomb.
What about the threat that each of those countries poses to world peace? Once again, China is seen as a bigger threat than Russia. Iraq and Iran would pose a threat to world peace, but not Israel. And while only 47 percent seen Indian nuclear weapons as a threat to world peace, two-thirds feel that way about Pakistan's "Islamic bomb."
In fact, the Pakistani nuclear weapons program is seen as a bigger threat to world peace than any other country that is currently in the "nuclear club."
Does Nuclear Proliferation Threaten U.S. Security? |
Yes No | 41% 58% |
Does Nuclear Proliferation Threaten World Peace? |
Yes No | 66% 32% |
Do These Countries' Nuclear Weapons Threaten the U.S.? |
China Russia Pakistan India Britain | Yes 57% 46% 43% 26% 7% | No 41% 53% 52% 69% 90% |
Would These Countries' Nuclear Weapons Threaten the U.S.? |
Iraq Iran Israel Brazil | Yes 84% 80% 24% 11% | No 14% 19% 74% 84% |
Do These Countries' Nuclear Weapons Threaten World Peace? |
Pakistan China Russia India Britain | Yes 66% 61% 48% 47% 13% | No 30% 34% 48% 47% 83% |
Would These Countries' Nuclear Weapons Threaten World Peace? |
Iraq Iran Israel Brazil | Yes 89% 83% 43% 17% | No 9% 12% 53% 73% |
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