Politics

Poll shows drop in support for Syrian strike

Neil Munro White House Correspondent
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The feeble public support for President Barack Obama’s strike on Syria is getting feebler, according to a new poll by Reuters and Ipsos.

“Public opposition to intervention has increased seven points to 63%, and support for intervention in Syria has declined three points to 16% since [a Sept. 3] poll,” said the press statement, released at 4:30 p.m. Monday.

That opposition has risen from 53 percent since the Aug. 31 attack, when the Syrian government fired nerve-gas rockets into Damascus suburbs, killing more than 1,000 people.

The support for intervention only climbs to to 26 percent if the Syrian government’s use of sarin nerve-gas is emphasized.

Ipsos pollster Julia Clark said the poll suggests that “the American public has very little appetite for intervention of any kind, anywhere.”

“It is unlikely that the President’s speech will shift public attitudes significantly prior to any action being taken,” the statement said.

However, “should the U.S. Government ultimately decide to intervene, it is likely that public opinion will rally somewhat around the cause” for some time, it added.

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