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POLITICS

41% Say America's Allies Put It In Greater Danger

A plurality of adults nationwide thinks America’s allies are bad for the country.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 41% of American Adults believe, generally speaking, America’s overseas allies put the United States more at risk. Thirty-six percent (36%) disagree and say those alliances make America stronger. Another nine percent (9%) say they have no impact, while 14% aren’t sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

Democrats are evenly divided, while Republicans are slightly more likely to believe overseas allies put the country at greater risk. Adults not affiliated with either party, however, think overseas allies put America in more danger by a 45% to 33% margin.

Fifty-three percent (53%) of adults think it is more important for the United States to be allies with any country that best protects our own national security rather than only with countries that have freely elected governments. Thirty-one percent (31%) put the emphasis on alliances with freely elected governments. Sixteen percent (16%) are undecided.

Back in February, as the so-called Arab Spring began to gather momentum in Egypt, 60% found it more important for the United States to be allies with any country that best protects our own national security, while just 20% took the other view. 

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The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on September 9-10, 2011 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

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