BEIRUT: The majority of the Arab public opposes ISIS and supports the U.S.-led coalition airstrikes against the group's elements in Syria and Iraq, according to a survey. However, most Arabs still believe that Washington and its closest ally, Israel, remain the greatest threat to the region.
The Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies Saturday released its findings from a public opinion survey on attitudes toward the airstrikes carried out by the international coalition against ISIS.
Survey respondents took part by telephone and were asked questions designed to determine their attitudes toward both the international coalition’s aim in carrying out the airstrikes against ISIS in both Iraq and Syria and ISIS itself.
The researchers surveyed 600 respondents in each of seven Arab countries: Tunisia, Egypt, Palestine, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon and Iraq. A further sample of 900 Syrian refugees was drawn equally in Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey.
The center reports that 59 percent of Arabs expressed varying degrees of support for the airstrikes by the international coalition against armed extremist groups including ISIS. In contrast, 37 percent of respondents voiced varying levels of opposition to the campaign.
Notably, twice as many respondents were strongly in favor of the military campaign as were strongly opposed to it: 25 percent compared to 12 percent.
Lebanon showed the highest levels of support for the international coalition against ISIS: 76 percent of Lebanese respondents support the airstrikes compared to 24 percent who were opposed.
The lowest levels of support for the strikes came from Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Palestine, with only 50 percent of Saudis expressing support for military action against armed extremist groups. Saudi Arabia is a member of the international coalition and has participated in airstrikes in Syria.
In Palestine, 52 percent said they supported the airstrikes.
The proportion of Egyptians who were “strongly” supportive of military action was the lowest of any individual country at 6 percent. Opposition to the strikes was highest in Egypt, with 48 percent of Egyptians opposing the airstrikes.
Across all population groups, 22 percent of respondents expressed confidence in the international coalition achieving its stated aims to “destroy and degrade ISIS,” while one-third believed the coalition would not be able to do so.
Saudis and Lebanese showed the highest levels of confidence in the coalition’s abilities.
“Yet Lebanon was also very polarized, having the highest proportion of respondents who lack confidence in the coalition’s capabilities: 41 percent of respondents in that country expressing the opinion that the coalition would not achieve its aims,” the report said.
Thirty-eight percent of Syrian refugees believed the coalition’s aims were unachievable.
Asked about Arab countries’ involvement in the anti-ISIS campaign, a total of 61 percent of Arab respondents supported the move while 12 percent of them “strongly” opposed it.
The highest levels of support for Arab participation were found in Lebanon, with roughly 75 percent of respondents in that country expressing varying levels of Arab support. Lebanon was followed by Saudi Arabia.
Respondents from Palestine were the least supportive of Arab participation, with 50 percent of Palestinians opposing it.
As for the possibility of Western boots on the ground, 45 percent were “absolutely” opposed to such a move by the U.S. and its Western allies. This was compared to 31 percent of respondents who were “definitely” in favor of such a deployment.
“Lebanon was the only country where a majority (51 percent) was 'definitely' in favor of the deployment of ground troops by the United States and its Western allies,” the report said.
However, 40 percent of the Arab public is in favor of the deployment of Arab ground forces to confront ISIS compared to 36 percent of respondents who were opposed.
The overall results show that 31 percent of the Arab public named the United States to be one of the two biggest beneficiaries of the military campaign, while 27 percent named Israel as one of the two parties who stood to gain the most.
The largest proportion of respondents who believed their own country to be a major beneficiary of the military campaign was found in Lebanon. This was followed by Saudi Arabia and Tunisia.
The Lebanese Army has clashed repeatedly with militants after the Nusra Front and ISIS attacked and briefly overran the northeastern border town of Arsal in August. The militants, who were driven out of Syria's Qalamoun region, are currently holed up in the porous border region between the two countries, along with 27 Lebanese soldiers and policemen they are holding captive.
Respondents were also asked to identify the two largest threats to the security and stability of the Arab region. Results indicate that 28 percent of public opinion surveyed listed Israel as the largest threat to regional security, followed by the United States (21 percent), Iran (17 percent), and armed Islamic groups (13 percent).
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