Poll: 57% Want Military Response to North Korea Missile Capability

I'm not sure that I believe this poll, but:

Fifty-seven percent (57%) of U.S. voters nationwide favor a military response to eliminate North Korea’s missile launching capability. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that just 15% of voters oppose a military response while 28% are not sure.

The telephone survey was conducted Friday and Saturday, April 3-4, the two days immediately prior to North Korea’s launch. The question asked about a military response if North Korea actually did launch a long-range missile.

Overall, 75% of voters say they’ve been closely following news stories about the possible launch. That figure includes 40% who’ve followed the news Very Closely.

Would 57% favor a one-off strike on North Korea's known rocket facilities? Sure, I believe that and I'm surprised that number isn't larger.

What I don't believe is that 57% favor a more involved confrontation than a one-off strike. And I don't believe that Li'l Kim would fail to turn an attack on his rocket or nuclear facilities into a protracted engagement across the Korea DMZ. Just because we'd like him to do nothing in retaliation doesn't mean he will.

I'm also a little skeptical about the self-reported 75% of voters who think they have been "closely following" this story. That seems rather like a lot more than my own experience. Yes, anecdote is not data, but around my office--all professionals, all regular voters--I wouldn't bet two in ten knew anything about the launch. I think it's much more likely that when Rassmussen calls you up and asks, "Hey, have you heard", most people will say, "Yes, of course" just so they don't feel like ninnies.

posted by Gabriel Malor at 05:41 PM

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