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.