AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Polls conducted in the United States indicate a sharp shift in American public opinion regarding the ongoing war against Iran, with support for this war having declined drastically compared to all U.S. foreign military interventions over the past three decades.
An analytical roundtable broadcast on Al Jazeera, presented by Mahmoud Murad with the participation of Salam Khader and featuring former U.S. diplomat Marlene Hardinger, reported on the increase in popular opposition to the war amid rising military and human casualties, as well as the direct impact of rising energy prices on the U.S. economy.
The latest Fox News poll and RealClearPolitics indicators show that the gap between opponents and supporters of the war against Iran has widened. Sixty-six percent of Americans oppose the war against Iran. Only 34 percent support this war. This has made this war the least supported war in contemporary American history
Historical data from the Gallup organization also shows the extent of changes in American public opinion behavior at the onset of wars and foreign interventions. After the September 11 attacks, 90 percent of Americans supported the Afghanistan war in 2001, with only 5 percent opposing it. Regarding the second Gulf War in 1991, 79 percent of Americans supported Operation Desert Storm, while 16 percent opposed it. The Iraq war in 2003 began with 76 percent support from American public opinion, with 20 percent opposing it. Support for U.S. military intervention in Libya in 2011 was 47 percent, with 37 percent opposing.
In the interactive segment of the program, Salam Khader also presented statistics on casualties and direct losses inflicted on the U.S. Army and Air Force since the beginning of military operations. Eighteen American soldiers have been killed and approximately 500 others wounded during the war against Iran. Regarding U.S. aerial losses in this war, F-15E fighters, an A-10 reconnaissance aircraft, and an Apache helicopter have been shot down or damaged over the Strait of Hormuz. KC-135 refueling aircraft have also been damaged or shot down over Iraqi skies. The initial direct cost of the U.S. war against Iran is $37 billion, which, according to the U.S. Department of Defense, has reached $37.5 billion. The White House had also requested an additional budget of $67 billion from Congress.
From the Strait of Hormuz to Store Shelves
Disruption of shipping in the Strait of Hormuz has disrupted the supply of oil, liquefied natural gas, and agricultural fertilizers to global and U.S. markets. Gasoline prices in the United States have also risen to over $4.11 per gallon. This is while Donald Trump had promised during his election campaign to reduce gasoline prices to below $2.
The increase in energy costs has also negatively affected factory operations and domestic transportation chains, creating a wave of inflation in the prices of basic and consumer goods, as well as food.
Trump Did Not Invest in Winning Public Opinion
Marlene Hardinger, a former U.S. diplomat, further explained the reasons why the Trump administration has lost public support for this war.
According to her, one of the most important reasons is the contradiction between Trump's campaign promises and the current situation. Trump had emphasized ending long-term wars and combating inflation during his election campaign. However, the current war with Iran contradicts these promises.
Hardinger said that the U.S. administration has failed in political mobilization, not spending enough time to engage with the American people, convince Congress, and build broad international coalitions, as was customary in past wars.
She added that economic and livelihood issues have now become the primary driver of American public opinion, and general slogans about national security are no longer enough to persuade people to accept the consequences of foreign wars.
According to Hardinger, this has also affected the understanding of American citizens regarding the economic costs of wars.
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