The document provides an overview of foreign policy issues and American and global public opinion on foreign affairs in October 2012. It examines views on the presidential election, the Obama administration's foreign policy record, perspectives on key international issues like Afghanistan and the Middle East, and the role of the United States in the world. In general, Western nations have more favorable views of Obama and his policies while regions facing conflict are more critical.

1. Foreign Policy:
Global and American Public Opinion Landscape October, 2012
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2. TABLE OF CONTENTS
 Current Political Landscape……………………………………………………….………2
 Political Analysis: Election 2012………………………………………………..……….5
 Foreign Policy of the Obama Administration…………………………….…..…..8
 Global Views of the U.S……………………………………………………………………11
 The Role of the U.S. in the World……………………………………………………..16
 Afghanistan………………………………………………………………………….............20
 The Middle East………………………………………………………………………….......23
 Libya…………………………………………………………………………………………….27
 Israel……………………………………………………………………………………….……30
 Iran ……………………………………………………………………………………………..34
 Syria ……………………………………………………………………………………………38
 The Rise of China…………………………………………………………………………..…41
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3. CURRENT POLITICAL LANDSCAPE
2

4. FOREIGN POLICY ISSUES NOT THE MOST
IMPORTANT PROBLEMS FACING THE U.S.
What do you think is the most important problem facing this country today?
October October
15-16, 2012 15-16,
2012
Economy in general 37%
War/Afghanistan/Iraq 3%
Unemployment/Jobs 26%
National security 2%
Federal budget deficit/ Federal debt 12%
Immigration/Illegal aliens 2%
Dissatisfaction with government 9%
Medicare/Care for elderly 2%
Health care 7%
Lack of money 5%
Education 4%
Ethical/moral/family decline 4%
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Source: Gallup, Oct 15-16, 2012.

5. THE GAP BETWEEN THOSE WHO THINK THE
COUNTRY IS ON THE WRONG TRACK AND THOSE
WHO THINK THE COUNTRY IS HEADED IN THE
RIGHT DIRECTION IS NARROWING
Wrong Track 53.9%
Right Direction 40.3%
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Source: Pollster.com Aggregate Data. Latest poll on Oct 22, 2012.

6. Political Analysis: Election 2012
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7. OBAMA STILL MORE TRUSTED ON FOREIGN POLICY
ISSUES
Trust to Handle the Issues:
Obama Romney
54% 52% 50% 51%
48%46% 48%47% 47%46%
41% 43% 43% 43%
Medicare Crisis International Taxes Economy Health care Deficit
affairs
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Source: ABC News/Washington Post Poll, Oct 10-13, 2012.

8. YET ON IRAN & INSTABILITY IN THE MIDEAST, VOTERS
ARE MORE EVENLY DIVIDED; ROMNEY SEEN AS
BETTER ABLE TO HANDLE CHINA
Thinking about a few specific foreign policy issues… do you think Mitt Romney or Barack Obama would
do the better job dealing with the issue of...
Barack Obama Mitt Romney Neither/Don’t know
47% 49%
45% 44% 42% 40%
11% 12% 11%
Iran's nuclear program Political instability in Middle China's trade policies
Eastern countries
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Source: Pew Research Center, Oct 4-7, 2012.

9. Foreign Policy of the Obama Administration
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10. OBAMA’S JOB APPROVAL IS GREATER ON
FOREIGN POLICY THAN OTHER ISSUES
%
Approve 50.0% Foreign Policy 50%
Overall approval 49%
The economy 46 %
Healthcare 32%
Disapprove 44.9%
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Source: Pollster.com Aggregate Data. Latest poll on Oct 22, 2012.

11. MANY AMERICANS CONCERNED THE UNITED STATES IS
LESS RESPECTED AND FEARED TODAY
Do you think the policies of the Obama administration Do you think the policies of the Obama administration
have made the United States more respected around have made the United States more feared around the
the world today, less respected or have they not made world today, less feared or have they not made much
much of a difference either way? of a difference either way?
42% 42%
39%
32%
26%
13%
More Less No More Less No
respected respected difference feared feared difference
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Source: Fox News Poll, Sept 24-26, 2012.

12. GLOBAL VIEWS OF THE U.S.
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13. WESTERN EUROPE, JAPAN AND BRAZIL ARE MOST
SUPPORTIVE OF OBAMA’S REELECTION
Would you like U.S. President Barack Obama to be reelected or not?
France 92%
Germany 89%
Britain 73%
Brazil 72%
Spain 71%
Italy 69%
Czech Republic 67%
Japan 66%
United States 49%
Greece 45%
Poland 40%
Turkey 39%
India 38% % Yes
Tunisia 37%
Mexico 35%
China 31%
Lebanon 27%
Russia 25%
Jordan 22%
Egypt 18%
Pakitstan 7%
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Source: Pew Global Attitudes Project, Spring 2012.

14. PAKISTAN, EGYPT, RUSSIA AND CHINA HAVE LEAST
CONFIDENCE IN PRESIDENT OBAMA
How much confidence do you have in U.S. President Barack Obama to do the right thing regarding world affairs
– a lot of confidence, some confidence, not too much confidence, or no confidence at all?
Germany 87%
France 86%
Britain 80%
Czech Republic 77%
Japan 74%
Italy 73%
Brazil 68%
Spain 61%
United States 61%
Poland 50%
Mexico 42%
India 41%
Lebanon 39%
China 38%
Russia 36%
Greece 30% A lot of confidence
Egypt 29%
Tunisia 28% Some confidence
Turkey 24%
Jordan 22%
Pakistan 7%
*darker colors indicate intensity 13
Source: Pew Global Attitudes Project, Spring 2012.

15. REGIONS OF CONFLICT SHOW LEAST APPROVAL OF
OBAMA’S INTERNATIONAL POLICIES
Overall do you approve or disapprove of the international policies of President Barack Obama?
Germany 83%
Czech Republic 65%
Britain 63%
Spain 63%
Italy 61%
Brazil 59%
Japan 58%
United States 54%
Poland 50%
France 48%
Lebanon 43%
Mexico 39%
India 34% % Approve
China 27%
Greece 26%
Tunisia 22%
Russia 22%
Turkey 20%
Egypt 15%
Jordan 13%
Pakitstan 8%
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Source: Pew Global Attitudes Project, Spring 2012.

16. EUROPEAN UNION, JAPAN AND BRAZIL APPROVE OF
OBAMA’S GLOBAL ECONOMIC POLICY
Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is dealing with global economic problems?
France 65%
Germany 61%
Italy 58%
Britain 57%
Japan 57%
Spain 55%
Brazil 54%
United States 50%
Poland 49%
Czech Republic 45%
Lebanon 41%
Mexico 39%
India 34% % Approve
China 27%
Tunisia 25%
Greece 22%
Russia 22%
Jordan 19%
Egypt 17%
Turkey 13%
Pakitstan 7%
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Source: Pew Global Attitudes Project, Spring 2012.

17. U.S. ROLE IN THE WORLD
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18. MAJORITY THINKS U.S. SHOULD TAKE SHARED
LEADERSHIP ROLE IN INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
What kind of leadership role should the United States Asked of those who believe the United States
play in the world? Should it be the SINGLE world should play a SHARED leadership role: Should
leader, or should it play a SHARED leadership role, or the United States be the most assertive of the
should it not play any leadership role? leading nations, or should it be no more or less
assertive than other leading nations?
74%
Don’t Know/Refused
4% 33%
62% The most
No more or less assertive
assertive than other
9% 12% leading nations
Be the single Play a shared Not play any
world leader leadership leadership
role role
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Source: Pew Global Attitudes Project, Spring, 2012.

19. MAJORITY BELIEVES THE U.S. ACCOUNTS FOR VIEWS
OF OTHER COUNTRIES ON INTERNATIONAL POLICY
DECISIONS
In general, to what extent do you think the United States takes into account the interests of other
countries around the world in making international policy decisions – a great deal, a fair amount,
not too much, not at all?
80% think the U.S. takes the interest of other countries into
account in making international policy decisions
41% 39%
14%
3% 2%
Great deal Fair amount Not too much Not at all DK/Refused
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Source: Pew Global Attitudes Project, Spring, 2012.

20. AND THEY RECOGNIZE A WIDE RANGE OF NATIONS AS
THREATS; CHINA, NORTH KOREA, AND IRAN ARE SEEN
AS MOST DANGEROUS
What country in the world, if any, represents the greatest danger to the United States?
Iran 15%
China 24%
North Korea 12%
Russia 3%
Afghanistan 7%
Iraq 7%
Pakistan 3%
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Source: Pew Global Attitudes Project, Spring, 2012.

21. AFGHANISTAN

22. MORE NOW THINK THAT THE WAR IN
AFGHANISTAN IS NOT GOING WELL
Thinking about Afghanistan, how well is the U.S. military effort in Afghanistan going?
Very/Fairly well Not too/Not at all well
57% 55%
52% 53% 51% 53%
48% 48% 49% 50% 49%
45% 47%
45% 43% 45% 43% 44%
40% 40% 41% 40%
36% 37% 38%
35%
Jan, Nov, Dec, Mar, Jun, Jul, Dec, Apr, Jun, Jan, Mar, Apr, Oct,
2009 2009 2009 2010 2010 2010 2010 2011 2011 2012 2012 2012 2012
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Source: Pew Research Center, Oct 4-7, 2012.

23. MOST CONTINUE TO FAVOR QUICK TROOP
PULLOUT FROM AFGHANISTAN; PLURALITY
SUPPORT OBAMA’S PACE OF WITHDRAWAL
Do you think the U.S. should keep military troops in
Afghanistan until the situation has stabilized, or do
you think the U.S. should remove troops as soon as
possible? From what you’ve read and heard,
do you think Barack Obama is
removing U.S. troops from
Afghanistan too quickly, not
quickly enough or is he handling
this about right?
Too quickly 17%
Not quickly enough 28%
About right 46%
Don’t know/refused 9%
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Source: Pew Research Center, Oct 4-7, 2012.

24. THE MIDDLE EAST
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25. MAJORITY PESSIMISTIC OF UPRISING IN THE
MIDDLE EAST LEADING TO IMPROVEMENTS
As you may know, recent protests and uprisings in Do you think these changes in political leadership in
Middle Eastern countries, such as Egypt and Libya, the Middle East will end up being good for the
have led to major changes in political leadership. United States, bad for the United States or won’t
From what you have read and heard, do you think have much effect on the United States?
these changes will lead to lasting improvements for
people living in these countries, or not?
57%
DK/Refused Good
12% for U.S.
14%
25% Won’t have
18% much effect Bad for U.S.
38% 36%
Yes, will lead to No, will not lead Don’t
lasting to lasting know/Refused
improvements improvements
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Source: Pew Research Center, Oct 4-7, 2012.

26. MAJORITY FAVOR STABILITY OVER DEMOCRACY
IN THE MIDDLE EAST
Thinking about the political situation in the Middle East, which is more important: Democratic
governments, even if there is less stability in the region or Stable governments, even if there is less
democracy in the region?
Don’t
Democratic
know/refused
11% gov'ts, even if there is
less stability
37%
Stable gov'ts,
even if there is
less democracy
52%
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Source: Pew Research Center, Oct 4-7, 2012.

27. AND PUBLIC FAVORS LESS U.S. INVOLVEMENT
IN THE REGION
When it comes to recent changes in political leadership in Middle Eastern countries such as Egypt and
Libya, do you think the United States should be more involved or less involved than it currently is?
More involved 23%
Less involved 63%
Neither/As involved as we should be 4%
Don’t know/Refused 10%
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Source: Pew Research Center, Oct 4-7, 2012.

28. LIBYA
27

29. AMERICANS TROUBLED BY THE OBAMA
ADMINISTRATION’S RESPONSE TO THE
ATTACKS IN LIBYA
In the aftermath of the attacks on U.S. diplomatic facilities in
Which of the following better describes how you feel
Libya, the Obama administration falsely claimed it was a
about the Obama administration initially giving false spontaneous assault in response to an offensive online video,
information in public statements about the September even though the administration had intelligence reports that the
attack in Libya that killed a U.S. ambassador and three attacks were connected to terrorist groups tied to al Qaeda.
other Americans? Which of the following do you think best describes why Obama
administration officials gave false information in their early
public statements about the September attacks in Libya?
67%
They did it for
diplomatic reasons
26%
They did it to help the
26% president's campaign
37%
8% They just made a
mistake
23%
It's troubling It's not much Don’t know
of a concern Don’t know 14%
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Source: Fox News Poll, Oct 7-9, 2012.

30. APPROVAL OF OBAMA’S HANDLING OF THE
SITUATION IN LIBYA HAS DECREASED
And please tell me if you approve, disapprove or neither approve nor disapprove of the way Barack
Obama is handling the situation in Libya.
Mar-11 May-11 Sep-12
57%
54% Latest Results from
45% Fox News Poll (Oct. 7-9):
43% 41% 37% Approve
37% 46% Disapprove
3% 5%
2%
Approve Disapprove Neither
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Source: AP-GfK Poll, Sept 13-17, 2012.

31. ISRAEL
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32. MAJORITY PREFER THE U.S. NOT TAKE EITHER
SIDE IN THE ISRAELI-PALENSTINIAN CONFLICT
Percentage who think the United States should do each of the following in the Middle East conflict.
Take Israel's side 30%
Not take either side 65%
Take the Palestinian's side 3%
31
Source: 2012 Chicago Council Survey.

33. AMERICANS FAVOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF
AN INDEPENDENT PALESTINIAN STATE
Do you favor or oppose the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the West Bank and the
Gaza Strip?
Unsure
12%
Favor
Oppose 51%
37%
32
Source: Gallup Poll, Feb 2-5, 2012.

34. PERCEPTION OF OVERALL U.S. RELATIONSHIP
WITH ISRAEL SEEN AS BETTER THAN OBAMA’S
RELATIONSHIP WITH ISRAEL
Thinking about the relationship between the Do you think the Obama administration has been
United States and Israel. Is the U.S. too supportive too supportive of the democratic state of Israel,
of Israel, not supportive enough of Israel, or is the not supportive enough, or have the policies been
U.S. support of Israel about right? about right?
41% 42%
37%
25%
22%
11% 10% 11%
Too Not About right Unsure Too Not About right Unsure
supportive supportive supportive supportive
enough enough
33
Source: Pew Research Center, Oct 4-7, 2012. Source: Fox News Poll, Sept 24-26, 2012.

35. IRAN
34

36. IRAN’S NUCLEAR PROGRAM IS SEEN AS A MAJOR
THREAT; MAJORITY SUPPORT U.S. MILIRATY ACTION
Do you think that Iran’s nuclear program is a major threat, a Do you support or oppose the United
minor threat or not a threat to the well-being of the United States taking military action to keep Iran
States? from getting nuclear weapons?
Don’t
70% Depends know
3% 7%
Oppose
Support
28%
62%
21%
4% 5%
Major threat Minor threat Not a threat Don’t
know/refused
Source: Fox News Poll, Oct 7-9, 2012. 35
Source: Pew Global Attitudes Project, Spring 2012.

37. MAJORITY IN FAVOR OF MILITARY ACTION IN IRAN
IF THEY ARE CLOSE TO DEVELOPING NUCLEAR
WEAPON
If Iran continues with its nuclear research and is close to developing a nuclear weapon, do you
believe that the United States should or should not initiate military action to destroy Iran’s ability
to make nuclear weapons?
Feel strongly Do not feel strongly
58%
13%
33%
10%
44%
23%
9%
Should initiate military Should NOT initiate military Not sure
action action
36
Source: NBC News/Wall Street Journal, Sept 26-30, 2012. *darker colors indicate intensity

38. YET, WHEN GIVEN THE OPTION OF ALLOWING MORE
DIPLOMACY, SUPPORT FOR MILITARY ACTION
DECREASES
Turning to the situation with Iran potentially developing nuclear weapons, which of the following is the best
approach for the U.S.?
To join an Israeli attack to
stop what Israel considers
Category 1 32%
a threat to its existence
To give diplomacy and economic
sanctions more Category 2
time and to 49%
discourage Israel from attacking now
Not sure
Category 3 19%
37
Source: Bloomberg News National Poll, Sept 21-24, 2012.

39. SYRIA
38

40. MAJORITY OF AMERICANS CONCERNED ABOUT
THE SITUATION IN SYRIA
In general, how concerned are you about the situation in Syria: very concerned, somewhat concerned,
not very concerned, or not concerned at all?
Unsure
1%
Not at all
concerned
Not very
11%
Very concerned
concerned 29%
15%
Somewhat
concerned
72%
43% of Americans
are concerned
39
Source: CNN/ORC Poll, Aug 7-8, 2012.

41. SUPPORT FOR SANCTIONS AND A NO-FLY ZONE
Percentage who support or oppose the United States and its allies taking each of the following actions
with respect to Syria.
Oppose Support
Increasing economic and
diplomatic sanctions on Syria 32% 63%
Enforcing a no-fly zone over Syria 36% 58%
Sending arms and supplies to
67% 27%
antigovernment groups in Syria
Bombing Syrian air defenses 72% 22%
Sending troops into Syria 81% 14%
40
Source: 2012 Chicago Council Survey.

42. THE RISE OF CHINA
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43. ALTHOUGH A MAJORITY OF AMERICANS VIEWS
CHINA AS A MAJOR THREAT, MOST ARE MORE
CONCERNED WITH CHINA’S ECONOMIC STRENGTH
I’d like your opinion about some possible Which concerns you more about China – its
international concerns for the U.S. Do you think that economic strength OR its military strength?
China’s emergence as a world power is a major
threat, minor threat or not a threat to the well-being
of the United States?
59%
Not a DK/Refused 5%
threat
9%
Major 28%
Minor threat
threat 52%
35%
Economic Military strength
strength
42
Source: Pew Global Attitudes Project, Spring, 2012.

44. AMERICANS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT
ECONOMIC ISSUES RELATED TO CHINA
Now I am going to read you a list of things that may be problems for the U.S. Do you think this is a very
serious problem, somewhat serious problem, not too serious a problem, or not a problem at all?
Very serious problem Somewhat serious
American debt held by China 79%
Loss of U.S. jobs to China 66%
The U.S. trade deficit with China 72%
China's intellectual property infringement 90%
Cyber attacks from China 89%
China's impact on the global environment 81%
China's growing military power 93%
China's policies on human rights 81%
China's exchange rate policy 92%
Tensions between China and Taiwan 82%
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*darker colors indicate intensity
Source: Pew Global Attitudes Project, Spring, 2012.

45. PLURALITY OF AMERICANS BELIEVE THE
OBAMA ADMINISTRATION IS NOT BEING
TOUGH ENOUGH IN ITS DEALINGS WITH CHINA
In your opinion, is the Obama administration being too tough, not tough
enough, or about right in its dealings with China?
45%
39%
14%
2%
Too tough Not tough enough About right DK/Refused
44
Source: Pew Global Attitudes Project, Spring, 2012.

46. GPG Research
GPG has a full-scale internal research team offering the full complement of qualitative and
quantitative public opinion research services. We use research to inform message
development and communication strategy, as well as to help clients assess and monitor
critical issues and track the effectiveness of strategic communication campaigns.
GPG has a deep experience conducting research about complex international affairs topics
with diverse audiences. We go beyond the standard Q&A, using innovative, projective
techniques to uncover key insights. The result is actionable research that helps shape our
clients’ messaging and strategy.
For more information about this presentation or to find out more
about GPG’s research capabilities contact:
Jason Boxt (Jboxt@gpgdc.com)
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