The FINANCIAL — A large majority of Americans think the world is a more dangerous place than it was several years ago. And a terrorist group that was not even on the public’s radar a year ago – the Islamic militants known as ISIS or ISIL – today ranks near the top of its list of U.S. security threats, according to Pew Research Center.
As the public’s views of global threats have changed, so too have opinions about America’s role in solving world problems. On balance, more continue to think the United States does too much, rather than too little, to help solve world problems. But the share saying the U.S. does too little to address global problems has nearly doubled – from 17% to 31% – since last November, while the percentage saying it is doing too much has fallen from 51% to 39%.
Republicans, Democrats and independents all are more likely to say the U.S. does too little to solve world problems, but the shift among Republicans has been striking. Last fall, 52% of Republicans said the U.S. does too much to help solve global problems, while just 18% said it does too little. Today, 46% of Republicans think the U.S. does too little to solve global problems, while 37% say it does too much, according to Pew Research Center.
The new national survey by the Pew Research Center and USA TODAY, conducted August 20-24 among 1,501 adults, finds that 65% say the world is more dangerous than it was several years ago; just 7% say the world has gotten safer while 27% say things have not changed much.
Public perceptions of the global threats confronting the United States have changed since the Pew Research Center released its major study of foreign policy attitudes – America’s Place in the World – in December 2013. Currently, 71% view “Islamic extremist groups like al Qaeda” as a major threat to U.S. well-being, about the same as last year. But nearly as many (67%) say “the Islamic militant group in Iraq and Syria known as ISIS,” represents a major threat.
The public generally supports U.S. airstrikes against Islamic militants in Iraq. A survey earlier this month by the Pew Research Center and USA TODAY found that 54% approve of airstrikes against the militants while 31% disapprove.
Other ongoing international crises also draw public concern. About half (53%) regard growing tension between Russia and its neighbors as a major threat to the U.S. Last fall, when asked about growing authoritarianism in Russia, just 32% viewed that as a major threat, according to Pew Research Center.
As the death toll from the spread of the Ebola virus in West Africa grows, 52% say the rapid spread of infectious diseases is major threat to the U.S.; that is about the same percentage that views tensions between Russia and its neighbors as a major threat.
Meanwhile, the public expresses less concern about some long-standing foreign policy issues. The percentage rating Iran’s nuclear program as major threat has fallen by nine points since last November (from 68% to 59%), while the share saying North Korea’s nuclear program is a substantial threat has declined by 10 points (from 67% to 57%). And somewhat fewer think that China’s emergence as a world power poses a major threat to the U.S. than did so last year (54% then, 48% now).
Public views of U.S. global power continue to be close to a four-decade low, though these opinions also have changed modestly since last fall.
Currently, 48% say the U.S. is a less important and powerful world leader than it was 10 years ago; 34% think the U.S. is as important and powerful as it was a decade ago while 15% think it is more important. In November, 53% said the U.S. was less important globally, while 27% said it was as important (17% said it was more important), according to Pew Research Center.
In 2009, President Obama’s first year in office, opinions about U.S. global power were more mixed: 41% said the U.S. was less powerful and important than it was a decade earlier, 30% about as powerful, while 25% said the U.S. was more powerful.
Obama’s approach to foreign policy continues to be viewed as not tough enough: 54% say Obama is not tough enough in his approach on foreign policy and national security issues, while 36% say his approach is about right and just 3% say he is too tough, according to Pew Research Center.
While these opinions are largely unchanged since last fall, in Sept. 2012, during the presidential campaign, just 41% said Obama was not tough enough in foreign policy and national.
Obama’s overall job rating remains stable: Currently 42% approve of his job performance while 50% disapprove. Obama’s job rating has shown very little change all year.
Obama gets his best rating for handling race relations; nearly half approve of how he is handling race relations (48%) compared with 42% who disapprove. His ratings for handling other issues – including policy toward Israel (37% approve), the situation involving Russia and Ukraine (35%) and the situation in Iraq (35%) – are more negative than positive, according to Pew Research Center.
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