Divergent Polls On Israeli Attack: It’s All in the Question

Two polls released this week indicate divergent American attitudes towards Israeli military action against Iran.

First, the University of Maryland reported that only one in four Americans would favor an Israeli strike.

Then, Ipsos/Reuters reported that 62 percent of Americans would favor an Israeli military strike.

How’d the two polls get such massively opposite results?

The Christian Science Monitor‘s Howard LaFranchi explains:

What looks like contradictory responses is most likely explained by the differing wording: One poll asks about bombing Iran’s “nuclear program,” while the other asks specifically about military action in the event that “evidence” shows Iran is building a nuclear weapon . . . .

How much “evidence” would actually be required for the public to support military action is unclear.

Which poll are the pundits you’re seeing seizing on?