Poll shows EU voters resistant on Afghan war By James Blitz in London

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Poll shows EU voters resistant on Afghan war

By James Blitz in London

Published: January 20 2009

Any attempt by Barack Obama to get European Union members of Nato to send more troops to Afghanistan will be strongly rebuffed by EU voters, according to a new opinion poll for the Financial Times.

As Mr Obama prepares to be sworn in as US president today, a Harris poll for the FT shows that clear majorities in the UK, France, Italy and Germany believe their governments must not send more forces to Afghanistan, irrespective of demands that the new American head of state might make.

The opinion poll shows that Mr Obama continues to enjoy high approval ratings in these four EU states. At least three-quarters of people in each of the countries surveyed, which also included Spain, believe the new president will have "a positive impact on the course of international events".

While the poll underscores the considerable respect Mr Obama enjoys in these countries, it also reveals the resistance he will face if, as strongly expected, he calls on Europe to do more in the fight against the Taliban.

Some 60 per cent of German respondents to the survey said they would not wish Berlin to send more troops to Afghanistan under any circumstances. Even in the UK, the second largest contributor to Nato's mission in Afghanistan, some 57 per cent of respondents rejected calls for any more British troops to be sent.

In both France and Italy, some 53 per cent of people said their countries should not send troops. Only in Spain is there a majority willing to consider sending additional troops.

The opinion poll, which was conducted online among a total of 6,299 adults between January 8 and January 15, reveals that voters in Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Spain believe the international financial crisis must be at the top of the list of issues for Mr Obama.

A clear majority of respondents in four of the five European countries surveyed - Spain being the exception - said they had no concerns at all that Mr Obama's relative lack of experience would hinder an economic recovery in the US or Europe.

The poll also reveals that voters would like to see the new president reaching out to Iran, amid fears in many western states that Tehran is attempting to develop nuclear weapons. At least two-thirds of adults in all five European countries, as well as the US, agreed that Mr Obama "should personally meet leading figures in the Iranian government".

Some 45 per cent of US respondents said that Mr Obama should continue to place the fight against international terrorism at the top of his list of priorities. However, in the UK, only 24 per cent of respondents said fighting international terrorism should be top of Mr Obama's priorities, while in Germany the figure was as low as 13 per cent.

Analysis of the results: www.ft.com/obama

Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009