An ABCNEWS/Washington Post poll finds 59 percent favor the tribunals, a number that holds steady when the pros and cons are outlined. When people are told that President Bush favors the plan, support advances to 64 percent.
More — nearly three-quarters — favor wiretapping conversations between people held on terrorism charges and their lawyers. Nearly eight in 10 support efforts to interview 5,000 young men from the Middle East, despite suggestions this reflects unfair profiling on the basis of national origin. And still more, 86 percent, say the government's detentions since Sept. 11 — with about 600 people still held — are justified.
Support for Government's Anti-Terrorism Measures |
| SUPPORT | OPPOSE |
| Military tribunals | 59 percent | 37 percent |
Prisoner/lawyer wiretaps | 73 | 24 |
| 5,000 interviews | 79 | 19 |
| Detentions since 9/11 | 86 | 12 |
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Sizable majorities, moreover, explicitly reject suggestions that the government, in its war on terrorism, has not done enough to protect civil rights. Anywhere from 69 percent to 81 percent say the government is adequately protecting the rights of average Americans, Arab-Americans, American Muslims, noncitizen Arabs and Muslims, and individuals who have been investigated for suspected involvement in terrorism.
All these are part of a continued solid front in public opinion since Sept. 11. Confronted with both the human and material cost of terrorism, most Americans have lined up behind the government's response, and remain there. Eighty-nine percent continue to approve of President Bush's job performance, a number that used to be astonishing. And 69 percent approve "strongly."
Has U.S. Done Enough to Protect Rights of … |
| YES | NO |
| Average Americans | 81 percent | 16 percent |
Arab-Americans and American Muslims | 73 | 19 |
| Terrorism suspects | 71 | 21 |
| Noncitizen Arabs and Muslims | 69 | 22 |
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Over There
Support for the military action in Afghanistan remains similarly overwhelming, at 91 percent (79 percent support it "strongly.") More than nine in 10 Americans say the war is going well, and the number who say it's going "very well" has nearly doubled since early this month, to 42 percent.
Six in 10 say it's worth risking a large number of U.S. military casualties to capture or kill Osama bin Laden. Even among those who think substantial U.S. casualties are at least somewhat likely (half the public), a majority says the risk is worth it.
Eighty-one percent also support military action against other countries that assist or shelter terrorists. And about as many, 78 percent, say they'd support military action against Iraq to force Saddam Hussein from power. (Support for action against Iraq was equally high in 1993, after U.S. airstrikes against Iraqi missile sites in retaliation for violations of the Gulf War cease-fire accord.)
Looking ahead, most Americans favor a significant role for the United States, if not the leading role, in stabilizing and assisting Afghanistan. More than six in 10 say the United States should take a large role in establishing a new government there, in providing food and economic aid and in sending peacekeeping forces.
In only one area, though, do most Americans say the United States should have the leading role in Afghanistan's future: In taking military action against any terrorist groups that attempt to re-establish themselves there.
Over Here
On the home front, there's been a rebound in the number of Americans who express at least some confidence that the government can prevent future terrorism, up 11 points since early this month, to 63 percent. And the number who say the United States is "doing all it reasonably can" in this regard gained six points, to 62 percent.
These improvements could reflect the apparent absence of further anthrax attacks, despite the two unexplained fatalities in New York and Connecticut. The advance is significant because it reverses a decline in confidence that had been the administration's first real challenge in post-Sept. 11 public opinion.
Tribunal Detail
This poll asked views on military tribunals two ways. For half the respondents, the question gave no details, simply asking if non-U.S. citizens charged with terrorism should be tried in the regular criminal court system or in a special military tribunal.
The other half received a much more detailed question, explaining that in a military tribunal, trials can be closed to the public, there's a military judge and jury and there's no right to an appeal. This question noted that supporters "say this would protect ongoing investigations and avoid the use of civilian jurors who may fear for their lives," while opponents "say it would be wrong to let the military conduct closed trials under new rules, and to single out noncitizens this way."
It didn't make a difference: In the first version, 59 percent favored tribunals; in the second, more detailed version, 58 percent.
All respondents were then told that Bush favors the use of tribunals, and were asked their view "knowing Bush's position." Support advanced to 64 percent.
Points of View
Support for tribunals is lowest, albeit still 52 percent, among people who describe themselves as political liberals; it's 58 percent among moderates and 66 percent among conservatives. Support peaks, at 70 percent, among Republicans; opposition peaks among people who think the government is not adequately protecting civil rights.
There also are differences on civil rights issues between racial groups. Whites are 14 to 18 points more likely than nonwhites to say the government is adequately protecting the rights of various groups. Nonwhites are about 20 points less likely to support the 5,000 interviews, and also detentions and, to a lesser extent, the plan for tribunals.
There also are differences among groups on questions involving military action. Men, and whites, are more likely than women, and nonwhites, to support risking casualties to get bin Laden, and also to say the war is going "very well." Women, and nonwhites, are more apt to think substantial U.S. casualties are at least somewhat likely. And younger adults, age 30 and under, are less likely to support risking heavy casualties to capture or kill bin Laden.
Methodology
This ABCNEWS/Washington Post poll was conducted by telephone Nov. 27 among a random national sample of 759 adults. The results have a 3.5-point error margin. Field work was done by TNS Intersearch of Horsham, Pa.
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