President Has Options in Syria

Although Americans remain resistant to more engagement in the Middle East, new polling shows President Obama has flexibility to fashion a more aggressive response to the Syrian civil war.

Support for military action exists under following circumstances:

• 70% if Syrian government loses control of chemical weapon stockpile
• 63% if Syrian government uses chemical weapons on own people
• 62% if only a non-fly zone
• 69% if Syria attacked U.S. ally

In general, a majority (56%) of Americans see the Syrian chaos as detrimental to U.S. interests and the ability to fight terrorism.

Use of chemical weapons can be considered the human rights exception to Americans’ overall support for the Obama administration’s reduction in military action in the region.  There is strong support for the Iraq and Afghanistan withdrawals and 74 percent believe, in general, the U.S. “should not get involved” in Syria.

See Washington Post:  Poll: Americans also see chemical weapon ‘red line’ in Syria