Whatever Americans think about the struggle against Colonel Muammar Gaddafi in Libya, they are adamant about one thing, keeping U.S. ground troops out of that country. In the latest Economist/YouGov Poll, only 18% would support sending American ground troops to Libya as part of an international coalition to overthrow Gaddafi.
More than three times as many oppose that.
This is a sentiment shared by Republicans and Democrats alike. The parties also agree that the President should not act alone when it comes to committing U.S. troops, but should get Congressional approval. However, nearly half the public is willing to give the President the power to act militarily as Commander in Chief in the short term, and get Congressional approval when that becomes feasible. 26% say he should always get Congressional approval when he wants to commit U.S. military forces.
As for this President’s handling of the situation in Libya, Americans divide evenly. 36% approve of the way Barack Obama is handling the situation in Libya, and the same percentage do not. In the early stages of the Libyan uprising, Americans who were paying attention to the protests were more likely to approve than disapprove of the President’s performance.
