Public Agenda Confidence in U.S. Foreign Policy Index, Spring 2008
The Spring 2008 edition of the Confidence in U.S. Foreign Policy Index shows rising fears about the health of the U.S. economy are spilling over into the public’s thinking about foreign policy issues, and their concerns about the nation's dependence on others to satisfy its energy needs are particularly pronounced. Six out of ten Americans (60 percent) say reducing energy dependence would strengthen our nation’s security “a great deal,” the highest percentage since the Index’s inception and now the most highly rated of 12 basic strategies to improve national security explored in the survey. The Spring 2008 Anxiety Indicator stands at 132, well above the neutral mid-point of 100 and a small 4-point drop from October 2007. Produced with support from the Ford Foundation and The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation in cooperation with Foreign Affairs.
Tags: Afghanistan, defense, diplomacy, Energy, Environment, foreign aid, Foreign Policy, Global Development, Iran, Iraq, military, oil, terrorism 
Was trying to post a comment about the Iraq occupation. I don't think war is a very accurate term right now. I think if the Iraqi government wants us to go and is reasonably confident that they can maintain stability, we should pack up and leave. Unless of course the agenda is to maintain a permanent base there as in Germany or S. Korea. However in terms of our responsibility to the Iraqis, I think we have probably killed enough of them to have effectively discharged our moral obligations.
I have no confidence in U.S. Foreign Policy. I view our activities in Iraq as simple American imperialism. I believe we started the war to position ourselves to control as much of the oil commerce in this area as possible.
I also think the presumption of military intervention as a way to prevent war is absurd. I also believe we are arrogant to assume that others in this world want the American way of life for themselves and that it is our mission to convert them . As an American I now realize that there are limits to our power. I think we are a country that believes we should have whatever we want whenever we want it. I believe the last 8 years has demonstrated our limits, our arrogance and our failure as a contructive world power. The defense department is the first place I would look to reduce government spending and to redirect its role in foreign policy.
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