ABC News/Washington Post Middle East Poll, August 1990

This survey solicits opinions on the situation in the Middle East caused by Iraq's invasion of Kuwait. Respondents were asked if they favored or opposed sending United States military forces to defend Saudi Arabia, if they favored or opposed using the United States Navy to blockade Iraq's ports, if the United States should keep military forces in Saudi Arabia and the Persian Gulf until Iraq withdraws its troops from Kuwait even if it meant keeping those forces there for many months or even years, and if they favored or opposed the United States taking stronger military action against Iraq if Iraq took American hostages. Respondents also were asked if they thought the oil companies would cooperate with Bush and avoid arising oil and gas prices, how important it was to include troops from Arab countries in the joint forces against Iraq, if they thought the United States was going to get involved in a war with Iraq and who would win this war, if the invasion of Kuwait would have a major negative impact on the United States economy, and if comparisons between Saddam Hussein and Hitler and Stalin were fair. Background information on respondents includes political alignment, age, race, sex, and state/region of residence.