Confidence in US Foreign Policy Index

After 5 years of war in Iraq, more than 6 years of war in Afghanistan, how much confidence does the U.S. public have in foreign policy? Check out the Spring 2008 Confidence in U.S. Foreign Policy Index from Public Agenda. Seeking to track the average American's state of mind about foreign policy, it is measured much the same way as the Consumer Confidence Index. This spring, the U.S. public scored a 132 on a scale of 0 to 200, with 100 serving as a neutral mid point (neither anxious, nor confident about foreign policy issues). The score of 132 means that a significant majority of the public is anxious. The figure is quickly approaching the "red line" of 150, the level of anxiety shading into real fear and withdrawal of public confidence in US policy. If you look into the details of this public anxiety, there are some interesting findings:

• The war in Iraq has dominated foreign policy attitudes. The public still remains negative on Iraq, but economic concerns, such as soaring energy prices, are showing an even greater influence on public attitudes on foreign affairs.
• The public's preference for non-military solutions to international problems has increased dramatically.
• There is more public interest in global development.

To read the full PDF of this report, click here.