New poll: Public backs principled war on Mideast terror, but key political base at risk

In comparison to his ‘vision for peace’ unveiled a year ago next week, fewer Americans support President Bush’s ‘road map’ for a new Middle East peace process.

A new poll shows the president risks losing a key part of his core constituency: Christian conservatives who are strong supporters of Israel.

The Center for Security Policy has released a new national poll surveying public opinion about a number of issues relevant to President Bush’s original and current approaches to promoting Middle East peace.

The Center commissioned the Luntz Research poll with Christian leader Gary Bauer, President of American Values. Among the results:

* Roughly half of Americans (49.2%) believe that the Palestinian leadership still wants to destroy Israel, compared to only 28.1% that believe it wishes to make peace.

* 61% do not think Mahmoud Abbas represents new Palestinian leadership ‘untainted by terror,’ given his long and faithful association with Yasser Arafat. Only 21.2 think he qualifies as a ‘new leader.’

* 72.7% agree (46.1% ‘strongly’ and 26.7% ‘somewhat’) with the precondition President Bush established last June before the U.S. would ‘support the establishment of a Palestinian state’ — namely its leaders [must] engage in a sustained fight against terrorists and dismantle their infrastructure.’ Only 18% disagree.

* In a split sample, 66.9% believe that the Palestinians could stop the terrorism against Israel and Israelis if they really wanted to; only 25.3% disagree. 67.4% believe that Saudi Arabia, Egypt and other Arab countries could do so if they really wanted to versus 23% who disagree.

* 79.8% of Americans agree (57.8% strongly, 22.1% somewhat) that force ‘can and should be used against terrorists and their safe havens involved in operations intended to kill Americans.’ 14.75% disagree.

Among self-identified Christian conservatives — a core part of President Bush’s political base, the above majorities were even more dramatic – showing a sharp drop in 12 months on a crucial basic issue.