Values Added: The Whirligig of Time (Glenn Loury & Walter Russell Mead)

[rcocean]

Originally Posted by stephanie

I don't think that's surprising. I skimmed the poll and it's missing strength of opinion type questions (at least I didn't find any) that would be important.

Edit: it is interesting and basically denial that so many people don't see Israel as an ally, though. It suggests a lack of awareness about how the US-Israel relationship is understand by others. I wonder what the comparable answers are for other countries, although NATO might make the ally thing more clear.

However, in various polls compare sympathy for Israel vs. the Palestinians and you get a marked difference, even with a large undecided/neither contingent and less than a majority for Israel.

Also, with both numbers being smaller than "right balance" or "unsure," a lot more people (20% vs. 5%) complain that Obama is favoring the Palestinians too much vs. Israel, which given US policy is striking. (This one I do think has as much to do with Fox/political rhetoric as anything, though.)

Here's a cite with a bunch of poll questions.

Whoops! - didn't see your post till I posted mine on Gallup's poll numbers Palestinians Vs. Israel. I'd agree that strength of opinion is necessary.