Ghanaian Public Opinion on the United States' War on Terrorism, Involvement in Afghanistan, and Foreign Policy in the Middle East, 2002

This survey, conducted April to June 2002, was undertaken to assess public opinion in Ghana on issues such as the United States' war on terrorism, the United States' involvement in Afghanistan, and United States' foreign policy in the Middle East. Respondents were asked whether the United States should have gone to war in Afghanistan, whether its involvement in Afghanistan increased the threat of terrorist attacks, and whether the bombing of Afghanistan to target Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda and the use of military force to replace the Taliban was justified. Several questions asked whether there was credible evidence that bin Laden was responsible for the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, how he should be handled if captured, and whether prisoners in Afghanistan deserve prisoner of war status. Views were also sought on the United States' motivation for engaging in a war on terrorism, whether it would be successful, which countries should be targeted next, and whether the governments of countries such as Iraq and Israel were evil. Other questions asked whether United States' foreign policy in the Middle East was fair, and whether the United States should remove Iraqi President Saddam Hussein from power, send troops to the Philippines to combat Muslim insurgents, and put more pressure on Middle Eastern governments to end conflict in the area. Demographic variables include sex, age, marital status, religion, nationality, and education level.