A CBS News poll on Americans’ views on foreign policy finds: Forty-one percent of Americans call Israel an ally, including 58 percent of Republicans and 29 percent of Democrats. Thirty-four percent describe the nation as friendly but not an ally. Seven percent describe it as unfriendly, and five percent call it an enemy.
While thirty-eight percent say America gives the right amount of support to Israel, nearly one in three says the U.S. supports Israel too much. Seventeen percent – including 26 percent of Republicans – say the U.S. supports Israel too little.
Forty-two percent of Americans support the establishment of a Palestinian state that is recognized by the United Nations, while 34 percent are opposed to it; 22 percent aren’t sure.
Well, a poll is the wisdom of the ignorant. No institution, political nor commercial, bases any action on the kinds of polls that ask members of the public their opinions. The political parties only trust their internal polls, companies use focus groups.
So, what useful information can be gleaned from this CBS poll? No result less than 66% counts for anything; any outcome approaching 50/50 is subject to considerable future manipulation by rich stakeholders; basing any decision on the ephemeral, subjective evidence of a poll is building on sand.
Seems to me it’s six of one, half-a-dozen of the other. The prez could move either way on Israel, but he persists in sucking up to Bibi.