The survey conducted by the Eurasia Group Foundation suggests that the younger American generation is becoming politically more aware of Israeli atrocities and the insecurity it brings to West Asia. The majority of those surveyed (18-29 years old) disapprove the ongoing arms assistance to Israel. Albeit Americans of older age groups (above 60 years of age) are more supportive of the US military assistance to the occupying regime.
The United States provides Israel with some US$4 billion in annual military aid. That makes the regime the largest recipient of American military aid. However, the money comes from the pockets of American taxpayers, many of whom are not aware that their money is funding genocide and ethnic cleansing of the indigenous people of Palestine.
Nearly 80% support the Biden administration negotiating a return to the Iran nuclear deal. There has been strong regional and international debate over how much ordinary Americans support their government's military assistance to authoritarian, occupying, apartheid regimes and dictatorships. Washington regularly claims security reasons for the assistance it provides but very few buy this argument.
Mark Hannah, a senior fellow at Eurasia Group Foundation said, "We began this survey five years ago because we believed lawmakers and foreign policy leaders conducting foreign policy on behalf of the American people would benefit from a window into their opinions and priorities."
Hannah expressed hope, "Those inside the Beltway use this survey to make the activities they pursue more sensitive to — and informed by — the opinions of their constituents, and to bridge the gap between the concerns of policymakers and those of ordinary Americans."
Just last month, the US aviation giant Boeing revealed that it will be providing the Israeli regime with four Boeing refueling military aircrafts in the coming years as part of the free military aid it receives from Washington.
The contract between Boeing and the US Defense Department is to the tune US$927 million for the four KC-46A aircraft. In essence, that means the US taxpayer will pay the price by footing the bill of US$927 million. Boeing will make a considerable profit and the regime will find more opportunities to create regional instability.
The Israeli war minister, Benny Gantz said, "This is yet another testament to the powerful alliance and strategic ties between the defense establishments and governments of Israel and the United States."
As per the norm the war minister and other regime’s officials alongside their counterparts in Washington cite Iran as the pretext for the massive military aid budget.
US military aid to Israel has mostly bipartisan backing in Congress and continues to be approved by a majority of lawmakers each year.
The University of Maryland found less than one percent of respondents viewed Israel as one of Washington's top two allies. Over the years there have been other polls that reflect the findings by the Eurasia Group Foundation. Earlier this year, a Pew Research poll also showed critical views toward Israel among younger Americans - respondents (under 30 years of age) 61% of this age group had favorable views of the Palestinian people.
Also this year, the University of Maryland found less than one percent of respondents viewed Israel as one of Washington's top two allies.
Zuri Linetsky, a research fellow at EGF, told Middle East Eye, "We asked the question about ranking why you would stop selling [arms] and specifically respondents who were against selling arms to Israel said that it violates human rights through its enduring occupation of Palestine. So that resonates with people."
The
latest poll also shows American opposition to the ongoing US arms sales to
Saudi Arabia, with nearly 70% of respondents disapproving the massive sale of
US weapons to Riyadh. Saudi Arabia has used Western-supplied weapons,
especially Americans, to level Yemeni infrastructure to the ground.
This is despite growing concern among rights groups that more arms sales to countries, such as Saudi Arabia bombing Yemen or Israel attacking other nations, continue to be approved by the Biden administration. In August, President Biden approved a massive US$5 billion weapons sale to Saudi Arabia and the UAE for missile technology.
The study also shows how respondents are in favor of curbing US military adventurism overseas and the increasing support of more efforts by the US administration towards diplomacy, even with American adversaries.
Among the top takeaways of the Eurasia Group Foundation findings in the West Asia region are:
On the Iran Nuclear Deal:
Regardless of the partisan leanings, Democrat or Republican, most Americans are in favor of negotiations with Iran. Nearly 80% support the Biden administration negotiating a return to the Iran nuclear deal. That support is notably bipartisan; more than 70% of Republicans believed the US should continue to pursue these negotiations.
"We found that there are vocal critics on both sides of the political aisle in Congress, against pursuing an agreement with Iran, but those views don't necessarily reflect what we're finding amongst the survey respondents," Lucas Robinson, an external relations associate at the foundation, told MEE.
The Biden administration has continued with his predecessor's policies on Iran; the so-called maximum pressure campaign that have led to the death of children with rare diseases and cancer patients alongside a whole range of other humanitarian issues that have hurt ordinary Iranian people.
On War Powers:
Roughly 80% believe the president's war-making abilities should be more restricted by Congress, representing a consecutive two-year increase. The US has waged numerous invasions of countries, most notably Afghanistan and Iraq. It continues to occupy parts of West Asia illegally and is invoked in secret military programs without the consent of Congress.
On Afghanistan:
Nearly two-thirds of respondents think the most important lesson from the war in Afghanistan was that the United States should not be in the business of nation-building or that it should only send troops into harm's way if vital national interests are threatened.
With regards to the issue of nuclear weapons, nearly 75% are concerned with nuclear weapons. Respondents who have served or are currently serving in the military are significantly less concerned than those without military experience.
"For the vast majority of the 21st century, the United States has been involved in conflicts and in far-flung parts of the world. So the question is, is this what the American people want? Does this represent their interests?" Linetsky asks.
"This is very much a test to see where people who take surveys fall down on what American policy is towards the world and what they think their leaders' priorities should be, be they international or domestic."
The White House is at odds with most respondents - a diverse group of Americans across the country from different religions, political affiliations, age groups and income levels.
The foundation surveyed more than 2,000 voting-age Americans online with detailed questions about US foreign policy and America's global role.
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