Surprising Poll Numbers on Bush, the UN, and Iran

Given how unpopular the UN seems to be these days in the US, the results of a recent CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll question about Iran are rather surprising (courtesy of Think Progress):

How confident are you in the Bush administration’s ability to handle the situation in Iran?

• Very or Somewhat Likely: 45%

• Not Too Confident or Not At All Confident: 55%

How confident are you in the United Nations’ ability to handle the situation in Iran?

• Very or Somewhat Likely: 47%

• Not Too Confident or Not At All Confident: 51%

To be sure, the numbers likely reflect the toll that Iraq has taken on Bush’s credibility more than any new-found trust in the UN. As other polling questions suggest, Americans believe that Bush’s foreign-policy priorities are misplaced and that he is too quick to use military force:

How concerned are you that the U.S. will not do enough to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons?

• Very Concerned or Somewhat Concerned: 67%

• Not Too Concerned or Not Concerned At All: 30%

How concerned are you that the U.S. will be too quick to use military force in an attempt to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons?

• Very Concerned or Somewhat Concerned: 69%

• Not Too Concerned or Not Concerned At All: 30%