Public Opinion and the Military

Use of American military forces abroad has always been a contentious issue. In question more broadly has been the conflict between two ideologies, Isolationism and Globalism (or internationalism; or interventionism). The debate between the two in America goes back to its genesis; the debate over whether America should keep to its own borders, or if its interests require, that it exert its influence abroad.

At the outset of the Second World War in Europe, American public opinion was largely opposed to the committal of US forces to that theater. The opinion was largely, “Let the Europeans deal with their own mess!” After all, America had intervened in World War One and the Europeans clearly hadn’t learned their lesson. Roosevelt had wanted to commit American forces to the European theater long before the Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor and it was American public opinion that prevented him. He needed the Japanese awakening to persuade the American public that American intervention in Europe was necessary. It was public opinion, ultimately, that brought the United States of America into the Second World War.

America’s engagement in Vietnam largely ended as a result of tremendous public pressure, or negative public opinion. Over the decade long war, the Vietnam conflict garnered increasing public criticism. In this instance, Isolationism had grown in the arena of foreign policy as a result of the Second World War and the Korean conflict. As Vietnam dragged on, American public opinion grew until finally, under U.S. President Gerald Ford, American troops were completely withdrawn from Vietnam in 1975. The conflict rested upon the premise that democracy’s mortal enemy was communism, and that democracy, in order to prevail on the global stage, needed to stem the tide of communist expansionism. The American public didn’t see things quite in that light. In large part because of the media, American public opinion turned so strongly against Vietnam that Washington finally conceded and removed the last remaining American troops in April, 1975.

In 1993, American forces had been committed to Somalia as part of a UN aid program to protect and distribute relief aid to starving Somalis. The country was run largely by warlords and was in basic anarchy. The American commander in that theater authorized a raid aimed at abducting Mohamed Farrah Aidid, a leading warlord and strongman in Mogadishu, along with several of his top lieutenants. The raid succeeded in part, but failed to net Aidid, and resulted in the deaths of several American soldiers. The media, as in Vietnam, couldn’t get enough of the carnage of war, and succeeded in driving public opinion in opposition to the American presence in Somalia. Many Americans saw Somalia as a lawless, godless region and believed American troops had no place in such a god-forsaken part of the world. It didn’t take long for President Bill Clinton to withdraw American forces.

More recently, with waning public support for “Operation Iraqi Freedom”, President Barack Obama promised in his election campaign that he would withdraw American troops from Iraq. The American public, at least in some part, had begun to desert the Iraq war and see it as another Vietnam. Obama viewed his election, as do all American presidents, as a “referendum” on the former president’s policies, and immediately set out to withdraw American troops from Iraq. Although public opinion is in no way as galvanized against the Iraq war as it was against Vietnam, the people have spoken, and public opinion has again been a part in shaping American policy.

Public opinion will always shape the ebb and flow of the use of military force as well as American policy generally. The nature of a democracy demands it. If public opinion ceased to be a factor in such aspects of government, America would cease to be a democracy.

Election 2008: Barack Obama (D)

Foreign Policy: Favors promotion of human rights, democracy. U.S. Should lead wisely and use its influence prudently to promote liberty and security. Present foreign policy full of missteps and mistakes. Corrective action is gravely needed. U.S. is too friendly with Israel.

Iraq: Strongly criticizes Iraq war. A serious strategic blunder. Important to stabilize Iraq now that we have made the mistake of destroying the stability of the region. Include international community in reconstruction of Iraq. Training and reconstruction in Iraq vital.

War on Terror: Syria, Saudi Arabia, Iran all support terror.

Taxes: Favors tax breaks for responsible businesses. Opposes general corporate welfare. Wants to close corporate tax loopholes.

Trade: Trade should directly benefit the U.S. Human rights should precede free trade.

Government: Government should do what is necessary to improve the common good. Citizens want change. Wants campaign reforms and gift prohibitions. Put integrity back in government.

Immigration: Give illegal immigrants access to social security. Give illegal immigrants access to Medicaid. Favors guest worker and path to citizenship programs.

Homeland Security: Improve military training and equipment. Endorses the Patriot Act with the exception of the wiretap provision. Not doing enough to secure our ports and borders.

Economy: Opposes Bush’s economic policies. Favors raising minimum wage. Opposed tighter restrictions and regulations on bankruptcy. Supports labor unions and the middle class.

Education: Improve the education disparity between rich & poor kids. Favors more federal funding for education. Needs based education assessment. Good students should get free higher education.

Health Care: A right, not a privilege. Everyone should have access to reasonably priced health care and prescription drugs.

Welfare: Education and re-education are keys to reducing poverty.

Abortion: Supports abortion. Supports partial-birth abortion.

Civil Rights: Supports affirmative action. Favors ultimate racial equality. Favors gay rights. Opposes gay marriage – favors civil unions. Sexual orientation should not be a basis for discrimination in any forum. Opposes the death penalty. Stricter gun control - no semi-automatic weapons.

Energy: Invest in renewable energy sources. Opposes opening ANWR to oil development. Reduce oil usage. Improve gas mileage standards.

Compare Barack Obama's views with:

Rudy Giuliani
Hillary Clinton
John McCain
John Edwards
Mitt Romney
Bill Richardson
Sam Brownback
Newt Gingrich
Joe Biden