Americans Overwhelmingly Oppose US Intervention in Ukraine

According to a YouGov poll conducted this week, only 14 percent of Americans said the U.S. has “any responsibility” to get involved in Ukraine, and only 18 percent think the U.S. “has any responsibility to protect Ukraine if Russia were to invade”

“Americans are more likely than not to say that the United States has no responsibility to get involved in Ukraine even under extreme circumstances, the new survey shows,” the Huffington Post reports. “Pluralities of Democrats, Republicans and independents agreed that the U.S. does not have a responsibility to protect Ukraine.”

This reminds one of the Pew poll from back in December that found a majority of Americans more than ever before in Pew’s 50-year history of polling this question, think the U.S. “should mind its own business internationally and let other countries get along as best they can on their own.”

Over a decade of war will do that do a population. Part of the low support for intervening in Ukraine stems, I would suspect, from the lack of knowledge of Ukraine and the amount of people who probably could not point it out on a map (which I assume is very significant).

But more power to them. The way Washington is wringing its hands over the situation in Ukraine is indicative of, in John Mearsheimer’s words, the fact that “America’s national-security elites act on the assumption that every nook and cranny of the globe is of great strategic significance and that there are threats to U.S. interests everywhere.”

70 thoughts on “Americans Overwhelmingly Oppose US Intervention in Ukraine”

  1. Unfortunately for Ukrainians (and US citizens), the US is already extremely involved there. The US has invested 5 billion US tax dollars into fomenting regime change led by fascists organized and directed by the US, and, as what happened in Syria, it has just been leaked that the snipers who shot protesters were from the US-backed fascist coup groups:
    http://www.globalresearch.ca/leaked-telephone-con…

    The US is still involved, and is taking the side of the new illegal coup government, heavily integrated by the fascists.

    1. Why even use the lamestream media term and call them fascists? If they are, then they are just idiots and agent provocateurs allowing themselves to be used by the Zionists and oligarchs who are engineering this whole mess and not true fascists or NS. It's entirely possible some of those snipers were Mossad agents or maybe even CIA or JSOC.

      1. Well I believe the groups in question favor old nazi regalia and look fondly back at the Ukrainian SS Units that were formed and fought on the Eastern Front against the Soviets so there is some validity here.

        1. This is not about nazi tebalia and fond memories of Ukrainian SS Units. These people have their parents fight for nazi cause, and lost. Their hatred, besides perenial anti-semitism, include hate of Russians, as they blame Russians for crushing Germany. Most of them belong to the same order of fanatics as Croatian ustasas. This is a particularly virulent form of catholic extremism, not just very violent, but very cruel. Unspeakable cruelties were done to human beings, including babies. Tens of thousands of Poles, Ukrainians and Russians — all civilians — were the result of their moment in history. They cannot wait go get back into power. All it took was a few hundred determined and violent people to overwhelm the unarmed police. Now they are in charge of many ministries of this new "government". It makes me SICK.

          1. And Russia was VERY smart to authorize use of force, as this is the only language these people understand. They immediately started patroling Kyev, and attacking and kidnaping people. Jews have abandoned Kyev, and left for Russian speaking areas, or even out of country. With the threat of force, they were prevented from going out with their chains and baseball bats to eastern and southern regions, where they intended to bash some Russian heads, and take over regional and local governments ahead of elections. If I were in Russian place, I would NOT accept the deal of having intenational monitors, as they will not stand in the way of their rampage, but will prevent Russia from attacking should they try to move east and south. Why is US so desparately protecting this scum?

          2. Its not like America protecting Nazis is a new thing.

            For those who don't know, you might want to research …

            a)American business support for Hitler before and during WWII. Prescott Bush and Henry Ford might be names to look at.

            b) the way the Americans protected and supported the Nazis right after WWII. All across Europe, the Americans were putting Nazi officials back into power, while trying to suppress the resistance fighters who opposed them (France, Northern Italy and Greece are all good places to research.),

            and c) the Americans brought 'useful' Nazis to America to work in the American war machine after the war.

        2. Old propaganda technique … try to distract people off onto red herrings.

          More importantly, the nazis in the Ukraine are using violence, threats and intimidation to seize power. There are videos of gangs of masked men armed with clubs and hammers going into political meetings to force others to act the way they want them too.

          When you see a group honoring Nazi war criminals that's a bad warning sign. When you see them using force and threats and violence and intimidation to put aside all political opposition, that's more than a warning sign. Then you are seeing a full-fledged nazi movement which is of course something most of the world knows is very, very dangerous.

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  3. Listen to RT, there is a phone call made proving the fact that: hired snipper were the one who killed people, not the Ukrainian police but these hired mercenaries by someone within the present illegitimate governing body in Kiev.

    Today Hillary Clinton, according to her statement by CNN, have compared president Putin to Hitler and the Ukrainian crises as when hitler in 1930s invaded countries in east under pretext that he is protecting the German minorities living in those countries. Although Hillary Clinton known to be yet another liberal democrat within the US falsified democracy, her statement here is yet another proof of the fact that, these people can say anything and everything concluding that they know the history, that they can lecture the world and putting names on others while it is them who in last 30 years been acting as modernized hitler.

    Yugoslavia didn't have any "ethnic" problems until Bill Clinton and Madeline Albright decided that they have and their witness was non but the Balkan mafia boss Hashim Taci, a Sunni Muslim feed by Saudis tyrant regimes to create war where NATO could have more of its troops stationed in the Balkan region.

    By the end of the century, USG already been at war with few dozen other countries, bombing them for no apparent reasons until USG "democratic" regime changed hands with Neo fascism, the Bush and his militarism, then the invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq started taking shape where Iraq war started on a total falsification of series of documented and verbal lies by Bush and his Neo fascist entity.

    Libya changed Bush concept and idea in warmongering, where barack Hussein Obama and Hillary Clinton idea differs from Bush regime. USG doesn't need to use its militarism anywhere any more, the regime can use what's been provided to them by their allies, using the same concept when Bush was saying " the enemy if my enemy is mu friend". in Libya the UAE military and their mercenaries so as Saudis and even Swedish national mercenaries and others were involved and all were supported by Hillary Clinton, Barack Hussein Obama and EU governing body.

    The Syrian war is the same scenario as in Libya, but this time, USG managed to station more military personnel where they never had any, like Jordan with a new missile defense system and 3000 solders and a missile defense system in Turkey as well.

    Even hitler was not using such a back door with a deceptive ideas as ethnic cleansing in Yugoslavia, atomic bomb in hands of a mad man. Hillary Clinton and Barack Hussein Obama supporting Paul Wolfowitz warmongering and Hitlerism ideology from the time of Bill Clinton with Madeline Albright to Bush regime and his gang of Neo fascist and now Barack Hussein Obama and Hillary Clinton, advising them how to proceed.

    1/3 of Ukraine, for now, is controlled by hooliganism, anarchism, Neo, old and ok'd fascism, USG and EU governing body are the one that are acting as Hitler did, the supply of Neo fascism in Ukraine by Neo fascism in Ukraine is same as the" enemy of my enemy is my friend" political terminology used by Bush militarism regime, even though the year is 2014. Hence, the idea is as before, no matter what lie and how many people are killed, USG and NATO looking to establish another military base in Ukraine closing themselves into a war with Russia. In Pacific Ocean USG using the very same, by intimidating Chinese, these are the main idea and scenarios by Paul Wolfowitz given to Bill Clinton back in 1990s and feature USG to act upon, (Hillary Clinton already elected as president by those whom see her fit) she is not going to stop unless American people demand the change.

    1. The telephone call is nothing short of amazing. It is from the Estonian Foreign Minister to Katherine Ashton, in which he said that the snipers have nothing to do with Yanukovic, but with the coalition. And that the new government is refusing to investigate. Now he mentions the doctor he talked to, and her assurances that both protestors and police were killed with the same weapon. But I suspect that he learned more then the state of wounds. The doctor he talked to was part of the inner circle, and was proposed as the deputy prime minister. She declined. I suspect that she shared what she knew about the perpetrators, and that is what is why he was so clear. She may have become nervous about keeping this information, as it is better to stay a doctor, then to be in goverment and later be associated with the crime.

      No wonder the planes were flying to Estonia. As no mainstrem media published it — I am sure the good minster will be in the dog house because of accusing those NICE baseboall/chain wielding boys of being murderers.

      1. When your coalition partners wear masks and take clubs and hammers into political meetings to intimidate people, its a good idea to be nervous about any information and exactly what you say. Say the wrong thing too loudly and her coalition partners will be coming her way with their clubs and hammers next.

        Don't forget, that Estonian minister thought he was on a 'private' call. Apparently he hasn't learned that in the modern age there is no such thing, and someone, I'd guess the Russian equivalent to the NSA, intercepted the call and released it. Thus, its rather unlikely that the Us is sending F-15's to Estonia to somehow intimidate him. Its the sort of thing that diplomats are used to saying to each other in the pre-NSA/wikileaks era.

    2. Uh, fasciam and anarchism are about as far apart as you can get on the political spectrum. And genrally, its the anarchists that are the first to stand up and fight fascism, if only in self-preservation. So, to say that the areas of the western Ukraine that are controlled by a coalition that includes some powerful neo-nazi parties is an area controlled by 'anarchism' is rather absurd.

      Of course, I live in a country where a president who is backed by Wall Street and who appoints Wall Street bankers to entirely control the economy is regularly called a 'socialist'.

  4. Ummm…. Glaser…

    Please define: "involvement", "defend", and "intervention"…

    http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/12/11/25…

    Glaser…please remind me: what was the alleged catalyst of this whole "situation" in Ukraine in the first place? The President of Ukraine declined to sign an EU proposed agreement and then…all of a sudden…seemingly out of nowhere all hell breaks loose in Kiev and the "democratically elected" Ukrainian head of state flees the nation's Capital 3 months later???

    I'm guessing you're buying the line that this is purely a 'domestic' "issue" between the Ukrainians at this point, and the US is simply 'considering' "intervention" into Ukraine's internal affairs as a result of Russia's assumed potential imminent plans to "invade" the country???

    This is beyond absurd…

    1. Ben C – IMO, you have totally misrepresented what Glaser wrote. Read the title. Most of the article was straight reporting until the last paragraph. Nowhere does he state that the US is not already involved. Glaser references an article in "The National Interest" entitled "America Unhinged." I plan on reading it.

      1. For whatever reason, Glaser cites dubious polls in dubious ways. The questions are misleading, based on flawed/false premises, and some of the "facts" are simply flat out wrong.

        For accuracy, people should have been asked:

        "Should the US get involved in its own deliberately manufactured and currently ongoing 'crisis' of attempted regime change in Ukraine?"

        Why not also ask Americans whether they think Obama should run for re-election in 2012? It would be equally absurd…. Better yet, why not ask Americans if Saddam Hussein was responsible for 9-11 and, if so, whether the US is devoting enough resources to find and bring him to justice? It really wouldn't surprise me if the Saddam/9-11 poll produced a similar distribution of "Yes" / "No" / "Unsure" responses as the polls Glaser references.

        So what does all this tell us? Does it follow so-called "democracy" is obviously dumb idea to begin with? And/or is it safe to conclude public opinion is politically worthless and typically grossly uninformed to begin with–especially when it comes to foreign policy 'questions'? Glaser doesn't address any of these obvious 'issues'…

        Then there is the 'issue' of bringing Russia into it…which, needless to say, follows the narrative Russia is not only the aggressor, but also the instigator…and quite possibly the future "invader" of a Nation whose capital was recently hijacked by US anointed stooges with the help of rowdy mobs and Molotov cocktails…

        After thinking about it though, it seems US foreign policy is fundamentally predicated on circular logic which, in turn, produces nothing more than contrived self-defeating "efforts"… which only seem to exist to pursue their own destruction…

  5. The US is on a fantasy ride to conquer the world why stop now, even if it means starting a nuclear war.

  6. You would never know that average Americans were opposed to war with Russia if you listen to our politicians, Fox Network or the radio talk shows. If there is a war woe betide this mighty union as its people will wake up and eat their politicians.

  7. Actually, despite the low (almost nonexistent) mention of this by the MSM, where most Americans get their "news", I am not surprised by the reported results. As more and more information becomes available I suspect more and more Americans will cast off the cloak that has been thrown over their heads to keep them ignorant and will sound more loudly that more interference in other nations affairs in counterproductive to what is best for America.

    For instance, the knowledge that the Legislature of Ukraine passing language preference laws against Russian speakers, advocated by the US-supported rightwing fascist groups, was a roadmap to second-class citizen status for those non-Ukraine ethnic peoples. This knowledge doesn't seem to be relevant to the discourse the MSM/MICC want to happen. They want the American people to fear Putin – you have to have an enemy people can rail against – and the enemy embodied by the Islamic radicals has lost some of it's relevance simply because the lines have been blurred by US politicians supporting some Islamic radical groups and not others – depending on who the US wants to rail against at the time.

  9. Not surprising. Nobody wants to fight in Europe either and everybody fears a conflict that could go nuclear. Russia's rickety conscript-based military forces probably wouldn't fight either. Thus, Putin playing the clown, Gaddafi-style, and conventional forces that would collapse very quickly are a very dangerous mixture.

    1. Be careful. The Russian military looks pretty professional so far, and don't forget the Americans are on a losing streak where they just lost to minor leaguers like Iraq and Afghanistan. Putin has a handful of aces right now, and he's playing them cautiously and so far rather sanely.

      If there's a clown act going on, its Obama and Kerry in a situation where they have little or no ability to project sufficient military power into the Ukraine. And Putin dang well knows it.

  10. The encouraging thing about the poll mentioned in Glaser's first sentence is that such small numbers are in favor of US involvement in Ukraine. (Of course, the US is already involved up to its eyeballs, but put that aside for a moment). It does show that more and more Americans no longer believe the outright lies fed to them by our corporate-controlled main street propaganda (er, "news") outlets. My fervent hope is that this opposition leads to massive street protests, which is what is needed. But I'm not holding my breath.

    1. Well, the media is working on it. After a month or so of foaming at the mouth, they will take poll again, and if still not good enough, we will be sent to repeat the class — by more loud and over the top TV screaming.

      1. 1) timing is everything. If they want a war in the Ukraine, they need people frothing at the mouth now, not months from now. Months from now, this crisis will be over. And having such awful poll numbers might just stop ObamaKerry from making more of the sort of mistakes that starts wars.

        2) That the people aren't buying the propaganda is a very good sign. And remember, they failed to convince the American people to go to war in Syria as well. The American people are no longer buying this junk, and that is a very, very, very good sign.

  11. Since September, 2013 polls have shown a majority of US citizens are unwilling to support wars in Syria, Iran, and now Ukraine. If the wishes of US "elites" had prevailed we'd be involved in two or three new wars right now. More than twelve years of war have produced nothing for average Americans but lower incomes, higher taxes, misery, homelessness, hunger, and death. Small wonder they are not interested in further misadventures to support the bottom lines of war corporations, international bankers, and the self professed "intellectual elite."

  12. I blame the U.S. media as much as the government. CNN had the "crisis" in the Ukraine on all day yesterday. Anything for ratings….

    1. But, why did you have it on all day long?

      Best thing to do is to turn it off. Don't listen to them. I used the obscenity controls on my TV to block all the American 'news' channels, CNN, FAUX, MSNBC, the lot of them. And life is much better that way. I'm also probably better informed, as I can get any info I need from anywhere in the world, and their lies and disinformation don't get into my brain. The most revolutionary thing we can do is to TURN THEM OFF!

      Remember the end of "V for Vendetta", and the great leader trying to talk to his people on the tellies, but he's only talking to empty chairs. It would be a good thing if CNN was only talking to empty chairs.

      1. Agreed, Chapman. Listening to their lies just raises my blood pressure, which I have to take meds for already. I used to watch once in a while, but, after the latest O'Reilly rant, I'm done for good. If no one watched and their ratings went down the toilet, they would have to change their narrative to survive. If you have a need to watch some news on tv, I recommend Al Jazeera, which is much more objective and shows more than 5 minutes of news before switching to puff pieces.

  14. Its actually stunning how little support this has in America. In the past, a full-fledged propaganda blitz like we are seeing now has been able to get support levels up to just over 50%. Saw this with both Iraq and Afghanistan. Now, in the midst of another massive propaganda blitz, they are getting numbers like 14 and 18%.

    Saw it the other day when I visited a Long Beach newspaper site, probably from here, to read the SOS Hillary calls Putin the same as Hitler propaganda article. What was noticeable wasn't the lame propaganda. It was that few if any of the comm enters were buying it. The comments were almost completely negative, with many considering what Hillary said about Putin to be absurd. Or the pot calling the kettle black.

    Been seeing all over the place. The American people are no longer buying the propaganda. And that's a very good sign. Don't forget, change in places like the Soviet Union happened really fast when it did come. Both governments and activists are caught by surprise. And notice that the American people aren't buying this propaganda blitz.

  16. ?the U.S. is in imperial over reach all over the globe having designated ourselves world cop and believing if we don’t get involved, we have failed ?the world because we and only we have ?the answers. Why can’t these elites in DC realize we are not superior, not exceptional and don’t have all the answers. That indeed we may be the problem From invading Iraq on a lie to ?the foolishness of wanting to bring former Eastern European nations on Russia’s border into NATO and then plant missiles expecting Moscow to believe they are to shoot down Iranian missiles targeted at Europe. What is Russia and everybody else in ?the world stupid?

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  21. The invasion of the Ukraine by Russia is sending a ripple effect through out Eastern Europe. With the prospects now for possible cold war starting all over again investors brace for sanctions against Russia. And with the already falling economy of the Ukraine, investors and business are bailing out as fast as they can.

    During the next few years, the Ukraine economy will be pushed to its limits. Currently, the Ukraine desperately needs 30 billion in loans to survive, and with ousted former president Viktor Yanukovich having already pulled the country out from the European Union, and the new government wanting nothing to do with Russia, the government will be in dire straits.

    The US State department has issued a travel warning urging Americans not to travel to the Ukraine. Tourism is a huge part of Ukraine economy. with hotels, airlines and restaurants depending on tourism. As these businesses cut back, the ripple effect in cities like Kiev, Odessa and Yalta will have devastating consequences on the economy. Just as when the housing market died in the US, the effects were felt world wide. Not only will Ukraine's economy continue to decline, but most of Western Europe's fragile economy will also feel the effects.

    One industry that seems to thrive on the situation is the foreign bride market, A Foreign Affair operates four office in the Ukraine. Kenneth Agee the marketing director says, "In the last few weeks we have seen the biggest surge ever on women signing up. Not only have we seen the biggest surge, but we have seen the highest quality of women signing up; doctors, engineers, even some of Ukraine's most beautiful models, With the possibility of war looming over the horizon, American men are looking very desirable." A Foreign Affair 's new member Irina of Kiev says, "America is stable, American men have very good family values. These are important to Ukraine women; we want a good environment to raise our families. With Russian tanks rolling down our streets, I do not see a bright future here for starting a family.

    The future does not look good for the Ukraine. Russia has no intention of letting Ukraine have complete independence. Most western Ukrainians have had a strong dislike for Russia for many generations, and will do what ever it takes to resist Russian influence or occupation. This being said, the country will have a long battle and many lines drawn in the sand, from serious economic sanctions to full out war. At this time, it looks like this struggle could go on for a decade or more.

  23. What is most odd is that the right-wingers on the attack against the small libertarian-leaning wing of the party that opposes rabid interventionism seem thoroughly unaware that what they call “naive” foreign policy is actually backed up by history and much of academia.

  24. What is most odd is that the right-wingers on the attack against the small libertarian-leaning wing of the party that opposes rabid interventionism seem thoroughly unaware that what they call a??naivea?? foreign policy is actually backed up by history and much of academia.

  25. We are citizens of the Eastern part of Ukraine. We decided to write this article about events in Odessa in 2 May 2014. We want to break through an information blockade in the world. We want other people to know the truth. We know that mass media in your country won’t tell you about following facts. USA, EU and NATO are fighting with Russia in cabinets while we – people in the Eastern-South part of Ukraine – are dying, as our army with terrorists from “Right Sector” are killing us. And nobody helps us! Because we want to hold a referendum and vote for the autonomy of our region. It’s our constitutional right.

    2 May 2014 a terrible tragedy happened in Odessa – 46 Ukrainian citizens were burnt alive.
    Events were as follows. More than 5000 football fans, members of “Right Sector” and activists for unity of the country arrived to Odessa from other parts of Ukraine. So the majority of them were not Odessa’s citizens. In Grecheskaya street they were attacked by people with full battle-rattle with St.George Ribbon (symbol of victory in the Second World War against fascists) and red bands on their arms. Here the first oddity and inconsistency with official version of current Kiev government has occurred. Exactly the same red bands were on arms of some police officers. Just in this place near these police officers so-called “separatists” disrupted the defenses of police officers and run to participants of pro-Ukrainian rally.
    Also absolutely "accidentally" this moment was captured from elevated point. It means that person with camera knew the script of events and chose the position beforehand). Here is link to this video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBofgPq1EUs#t=30
    Then after a short skirmish occurred first victims. Football fans were mad from spite. Unidentified shooters were shooting from roofs. Then people with bands just vanished. Video of shooting from Kalashnikov can be found in this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wl1oqASAmK0
    After these events and 4 victims, instead of persecution of explicit provocateurs, football fans went to the camp of federalization nerd people. There were about 300 people in the camp. Mostly old people and women who would not be able to resist the enemy, which outnumbered them in more than 10. Federalization nerd people decided to find the safe in a big building of House of Trade Union, as football fan were really mad at those time. They had already weapon and were shooting.
    These “peaceful” demonstrates decided to burn them by Molotov cocktails. Here are horrible photos of burning.
    Here the video of those who were preparing Molotov cocktails: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g85JeiI9pWs
    When people tried to get out through the window, they were fired: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYUnjSJFKmw
    This person, who was shooting at peaceful people, wasn’t arrested. He is just giving an interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgiTb3ed65w
    Many people, who got out from the burning, were hit. Medical services were prevented to help people. Fire service arrived only in 1.5 hour.
    These people applauded those who jumped out of windows. Jumped people died. Football fans cried: “Burn, Russians!” Julia Timoshenko arrived to Odessa and supported football fans. She said that they are the best Ukrainian patriots. Other deputies of Ukrainian Government supported the killing of peaceful people. You may find for example an account of Iryna Farion https://www.facebook.com/IrynaFarion (This is her comment about events in Odessa: Bravo, Odessa! The pearl of Ukrainian spirit. The motherland of Ivan and Yuri Lyp. Let burn devils in hell! The best rebels are football fans. Bravo!). Isn’t it a fascism?
    And now the government of Odessa according to order of Kiev opens criminal cases against those who survived in the fire.
    We – citizens of Ukraine – want you to know the truth about events in our country. We know that your mass media won’t tell you about this. These people were killed. And our Ukrainian government declares that it was right. They showed what they are going to do with those who don’t support them. It’s terrible that USA, EU and NATO support killing of people in European country. They call separatists all people that don’t support current government in Ukraine (that came to power through military putsch) and don’t like fascist organization “Right Sector”. Current Ukrainian government gave official permission to kill peaceful people in the Eastern-South part of Ukraine. And they support it using your money! As they give taxpayers’ money. Do you want to support killings?
    To know the truth is a natural right of every person in the world. Share this article with your friends. Let’s break through an information blockade together!

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