Iraq dominated the headlines throughout the fall of 2002 and into the winter of 2003. Public opinion on the wisdom of war, however, stabilized relatively early and slightly in favor of war. Gallup found that from August 2002 through early March 2003 the share of Americans favoring war hovered in a relatively narrow range between a low of 52 percent and a high of 59 percent. By contrast, the share of the public opposed to war fluctuated between 35 percent and 43 percent.

Looks like Americans are even more happy with murdering people if its done by a puppet.

https://www.brookings.edu/articles/rally-round-the-flag-opinion-in-the-united-states-before-and-after-the-iraq-war/

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[–] CyborgMarx@hexbear.net 105 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Americans don't believe in anything, half of them can barely read, if you asked them whether Israel was justified in butchering 800 children the poll would most likely flip with 70% saying no, if you asked whether Israel has a "right to self-defense" without any qualification, probably 90% would say yes

If you asked them if Israel has the right to genocide the Palestinians, 50% would say "not sure" and 50% would say no, but 40% would vote yes if it was a closed ballot referendum item

Americans are incoherent lotus eaters who think the height of political intellectualism is enlightened centrism with "remote drone bombing" characteristics

[–] RyanGosling@hexbear.net 27 points 1 year ago

“Were IDF soldiers Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold justified in entering a Hamas school? 85% says yes”

[–] uralsolo@hexbear.net 18 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

This is the result of being completely closed off from being able to meaningfully impact foreign policy through our political system, so everyone (except sickos like us) just kind of ignores it and fires from the hip when asked about it. I think that's a lasting effect of the Bush administration - the era when we could pretend that protests mattered is over, welcome to the era when the US ruling class doesn't even bother to pretend to listen to us, and instead scolds us whenever we're not as bloodthirsty as they are.

[–] machiabelly@hexbear.net 6 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I don't think there is any "western" country where the people have any control over foreign policy. Japan elected a leader in 2012 that was going to prevent a US military base. Resigned a week before he was going to do it. Similar story in Australia. France elected a leader ~40 years ago I think who was going to dismantle french control in africa. Got elected and realized he had no power to do so, or at least said as much. The recent wars in the middle east were less popular in Europe, afaik, and yet they all stayed involved for exactly as long as the USA.

I think foreign policy, domestic policy, and economic system together are the state. Everything else is just window-dressing. Thats why we have no democratic control over it. The authority of the state is non-negotiable.

[–] SoyViking@hexbear.net 15 points 1 year ago

If you asked them whether "Israel" has a right to bomb the Palatinate to defend themselves against hummus they would answer yes.