Source: The Jerusalem Post
Apr 08, 2007
The somewhat surprising results of a recent public opinion poll reveal that a majority of Europeans support Washington's position that Iran must be stopped from obtaining nuclear arms, even if military intervention is required.
Commissioned by a London think-tank, the survey was conducted among 17,000 people from the 27 European Union members states.
In 18 out of the 27 EU members states, a firm majority responded in the affirmative to the statement: "We must stop countries like Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, even if that means taking military action."
Overall, 52 percent of Europeans said they would back a military strike on Iran.
Suggesting that they would like the US to go ahead and do the dirty work, however, a majority of respondents also said they don't want to see their nations' defense budgets increase.
The poll also showed that most Europeans are not unaware of the grave danger posed to their nations by a growing and increasingly radicalized Muslim minority on the continent.
Seventy-one percent in Britain, 66 percent in Germany, and 64 percent in France said they recognize that "Islamic fundamentalism" is directly threatening their societies.