Sondaggi

Russian Analytical Digest No. 82: The Russian Far East

(PDF) – in this issue:
*Putin Is Turning Vladivostok into Russia’s Pacific Capital

*Population Statistics of the Russian Far East

*Russian Opinions on Vigilante Killings of Members of the Militia in… »

Actions, Not Just Attitudes: A New Paradigm for U.S.-Arab Relations – The Washington Institute for Near East Policy

The latest Pew poll on Middle Eastern political behavior illustrates the media’s post-9/11 tendency to report on America’s standing on the Arab street — without analyzing whether attitudes toward the U.S. have any significant effect on actual Arab behavior. To remedy this striking diagnostic gap, The Washington Institute presents a new study that utilizes hard… »

Public Sees a Future Full of Promise and Peril – Pew Research Center

Life in 2050: Amazing Science, Familiar Threats. Large majorities of Americans expect that computers will be able to carry on conversations (81% say this definitely or probably will happen) and that there will be a cure for cancer (71%). About two-thirds (66%) say that artificial arms and legs will outperform real limbs while 53% envision… »

Germans Anticipate a Collapse of Merkel’s Government – Der Spiegel

Pundits think that Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government is in trouble. A new survey has found that German citizens agree. Almost two-thirds think that the governing coalition in Berlin will not survive much… »

Obama More Popular Abroad Than At Home – Pew Research Center

As the global economy begins to rebound from the great recession, people around the world remain deeply concerned with the way things are going in their countries. Less than a third of the publics in most nations say they are satisfied with national conditions, as overwhelming numbers say their economies are in bad shape. And… »

Public remains unfriendly on Afghanistan – Washington Post

Today’s news that the U.S. military operation in Kandahar will take longer than expected lands amid the American public’s least friendly outlook on the war in Afghanistan since 2007, according to the latest Washington Post-ABC News poll. Overall, 53 percent say the war is not worth its costs, a new… »

European Neighbourhood Policy – European Commission

The European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) was developed in 2004, with the objective of avoiding the emergence of new dividing lines between the enlarged EU and our neighbours and instead strengthening the prosperity, stability and security of all. This ENP framework is proposed to the 16 of EU’s closest neighbours – Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Egypt,… »

America’s Extended Hand: Assessing the Obama Administration’s Global Engagement Strategy – CNAS

This paper assesses the administration’s global public engagement strategy and its implementation
to date. Though the administration’s commitment to engagement has encompassed a range of efforts such as negotiating with adversaries as well as allies, working through multilateral institutions, and a stronger commitment to diplomacy, the authors focus on just one key dimension of the president’s… »

No. 78: Russian Military Thinking Today – Russian Analytical Digest

(PDF) – in this issue:
*Russia’s New Military Doctrine: A Compromise Document
*The Role of China in Russia’s Military Thinking
*Poll: The Russian Population on Military Threats and the State of the Armed… »

2010 National Drug Control Strategy – ONDC

President Obama released the Administration’s inaugural National Drug Control Strategy, which establishes five-year goals for reducing drug use and its consequences through a balanced policy of prevention, treatment, enforcement, and international cooperation. The Strategy was developed by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) with input from a variety of Federal, State,… »

15 Million MENA Facebook Users – SPOT ON

Facebook has become a force to be reckoned with in the Middle East and North Africa and the platform can now claim 15 million users as of May 2010. Whilst Facebook saw strong early growth in 2008/2009 from English and French speaking users across the region, Facebook’s decision to add an Arabic interface in March… »

Kashmir: Paths to Peace – Chatham House

This opinion poll was commissioned by Dr Saif al Islam al Qadhafi in May 2009 and administered in
September-October 2009. This is the first poll to be conducted on both sides of the Line of Control (LoC) that has separated Indian and Pakistani controlled Kashmir since the UN-brokered ceasefire on 1 January 1949. The ongoing dispute… »

Colombia: Moving Beyond ‘Narco-Democracy’ – CFR

Colombia’s vote for the successor to two-term President Alvaro Uribe on May 30 pits a former top Uribe aide against a populist former mayor of Bogotá who has drawn strong support from young Colombians. Despite dramatic security gains achieved under Uribe, a strong U.S. ally, the strength of support for Antanas Mockus of the Green… »

Arab attitudes one year after Cairo – Bitterlemons

One year ago, President Barack Obama traveled to Cairo to deliver what was billed as an “Address to the Muslim World”. Obama understood that after eight years of neglectful and/or reckless Bush administration policies in the Middle East, it was important to signal a change in direction to the people of that region. From polls… »

Russian Poll: Medvedev Still In Putin’s Shadow – RFE

A recent poll has found that only 22 percent of Russians believe President Dmitry Medvedev formulates his policies independently. The poll found approximately 70 percent of Russians approve of Medvedev’s presidency. But 66 percent of respondents remain convinced that he is under the control of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin — Medvedev’s predecessor as president –… »

Israeli Public’s Support for Dismantling Most Settlements Has Risen to a Five-Year High – World Public Opinion

A survey of the Israeli general public and Israeli settlers taken in early March shows three-fifths of the Israeli public (60%) support “dismantling most of the settlements in the territories as part of a peace agreement with the Palestinians.” This is eleven points higher than the previous reading (49%) taken in December, 2009, and is… »

US public support for nuclear at record high – WNN

Public support for nuclear energy in the USA has reached a record high, with 74% of people saying they are in favour of nuclear energy, according to the results of a new… »

2010 Annual Survey of American Jewish Opinion – AJC

The data reported here are taken from the 2010 Annual Survey of American Jewish Opinion, sponsored by AJC. Among the topics covered in this survey are U.S.-Israeli relations, the Arab-Israel conflict, and the Iranian nuclear… »

25% Now Say China Is Biggest Threat to United States – Rasmussen

U.S. voters are growing increasingly wary of China’s relationship with the United States. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 25% of voters now rate China as a bigger threat to U.S. national security than five other key nations. That’s second only to Iran, which is viewed as the number one threat by… »

Eurabian Follies – Fp

By 2050, Europe will be unrecognizable. Instead of romantic cafes, Paris’s Boulevard Saint-Germain will be lined with halal butcheries and hookah bars; the street signs in Berlin will be written in Turkish. School-children from Oslo to Naples will read Quranic verses in class, and women will be veiled. At least, that’s what the authors of… »

Pakistanis, Afghans Unconvinced by Gov’t Anti-Terror Efforts – Gallup

Despite Pakistan’s major military offensives against the Taliban last year, Gallup surveys show Pakistanis’ evaluations of their government’s efforts to fight terrorism didn’t improve — or change much at all — in 2009. Nearly half (49%) of Pakistanis surveyed in November and December said their government isn’t doing enough, similar to the 47% who said… »

27% of Israelis think Obama is anti-Semitic – Haaretz

Some 27 percent of Israelis believe that U.S. President Barack Obama is anti-Semitic, according to a Haaretz-Dialog poll conducted this week. Another 56 percent questions said they don’t believe politicians who call Obama anti-Semitic or hostile to Israel, or who say he is “striving to topple Netanyahu.” On the whole, Obama’s popularity may be declining… »

Five myths about the war in Afghanistan – Washington Post

The war in Afghanistan is in its ninth year, and even officials supportive of the U.S. presence there acknowledge the challenges that remain. If we want to develop realistic expectations about the war — how it might unfold from here and when it could begin to wind down — it would help to dispel some… »

Americans’ Global Warming Concerns Continue to Drop – Gallup

Gallup’s annual update on Americans’ attitudes toward the environment shows a public that over the last two years has become less worried about the threat of global warming, less convinced that its effects are already happening, and more likely to believe that scientists themselves are uncertain about its occurrence. In response to one key question,… »

Investigating the Future. An in-depth study of Public Opinion in Cyprus – Interpeace

(PDF) – The latest island-wide public opinion poll, conducted in the context of the ‘Cyprus 2015: Research and Dialogue for a Sustainable Future’ initiative, shows that Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots have a strong desire for a solution to the Cyprus problem and are prepared for compromise in a number of areas. But their expectations… »

Russian Analytical Digest No. 73: Russia-China Relations

(PDF) – in this issue:
*Russian-Chinese Relations: Current Trends and Future Prospects
*Sino-Russian Relations 2009 to 2010: A Perspective from China
*Sino-Russian Energy Relations: True Friendship or Phony Partnership?
*Statistics: Foreign Trade Relations
*Opinion Po ll: Mutual Perceptions
*Map: Eastern Siberia – Pacific Ocean… »

Support for Israel in U.S. at 63%, Near Record High – Gallup

For the first time since 1991, more than 6 in 10 Americans — 63% — say their sympathies in the Middle East situation lie more with the Israelis than with the Palestinians. Fifteen percent side more with the Palestinians, down slightly from recent years, while a combined 23% favor both sides, favor neither side, or… »

Americans’ Rating of United Nations Improved, but Still Low – Gallup

Thirty-one percent of Americans say the United Nations is doing a good job of solving the problems it has had to face, according to the Feb. 1-3 Gallup World Affairs poll. While still a negative review, the current U.N. rating is a significant improvement over last year’s 26% and the best since… »

In U.S., Canada Places First in Image Contest; Iran Last – Gallup

Americans’ perceptions of 20 nations that figure prominently in the news or U.S. foreign policy held quite steady in the first year of the Obama administration. Canada retained its top position in Gallup’s annual country ratings, with 90% of Americans viewing it favorably, unchanged from 2009. Iran continues to rank last, with 10% this year…. »

Economic Issues Perceived to be Number One Problem of Pakistan – Gallup Pakistan

(PDF) – A recent Gilani poll conducted by Gallup Pakistan shows that two thirds of all Pakistanis believe Economic problems are their problems number one, specifically, inflation (43%) and unemployment (20%). But terrorism or law and order issues have erupted as a key issue as well: 32% mention law and order as the number one… »

We Need Both Hatoyama’s Decision and Obama’s Patience – AJISS

Alliance managers in both Japan and the United States are worried about “alliance drift” again. There are two causes for concern: the impasse over the relocation of the US’ Futenma Air Station in Okinawa and US doubt about the liberal Hatoyama administration’s commitment to the bilateral military… »

Mixed Views of Hamas and Hezbollah in Largely Muslim Nations – Pew Research Center

Across predominantly Muslim nations, there is little enthusiasm for the extremist Islamic organizations Hamas and Hezbollah, although there are pockets of support for both groups, especially in the Middle East. There is limited enthusiasm for most of the Muslim political figures tested on the survey, with the exception of Saudi King Abdullah, who is easily… »

Palestinian Public Opinion Poll – Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PSR)

(PDF) – Findings of the fourth quarter of 2009 show a limited improvement in the standing of president Mahmud Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, but the balance of power between Fateh and Hamas remains as it was four months ago. Moreover, contrary to expectations, the majority of the public does not blame Hamas for… »

Analysis of Multiple Polls Finds Little Evidence Iranian Public Sees Government as Illegitimate – World Public Opinion

Indications of fraud in the June 12 Iranian presidential election, together with large-scale street demonstrations, have led to claims that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad did not actually win the election, and that the majority of Iranians perceive their government as illegitimate and favor regime change. An analysis of multiple polls of the Iranian public from three different… »

One year on, most Israelis disapprove of Netanyahu – Haaretz

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is losing altitude, according to the Haaretz-Dialog poll published here. The results show that, for the first time in a year, a majority of the public is dissatisfied with his performance and questions his suitability as prime… »

Uribe Vows Calm as Colombia Awaits Referendum Ruling – Bloomberg

Colombian President Alvaro Uribe said he would “act prudently” to let the constitutional court evaluate a proposed referendum on a third term after local media said a judge recommended that his colleagues block the… »

Palestinian parliament expires four years after Hamas electoral upset – CS Monitor

Four years after Hamas won an upset victory in the 2006 Palestinian legislative elections, prompting swift international sanctions and a Western-led diplomatic boycott, the mandate for the parliament it dominated officially expired on… »

Saudi Public Backs Iran Sanctions but Split on Military Action – Washington Institute for Near East Policy

A highly unusual and credible private poll of Saudi citizens taken in late November 2009 by a reputable regional firm shows solid popular support for tough measures against Iran, even though domestic economic issues loom larger in the public’s perception. A solid majority (57 percent) of urban Saudis approved of “stronger sanctions against Iran” if… »

Russian Analytical Digest No. 70: The North Caucasus Crisis

(PDF) – This paper addresses the situation in Russia’s Northern Caucasus 10 years after the beginning of the second Chechen War and Vladimir Putin’s subsequent rise to power. It explores the situation in Chechnya after the official end of the counterterrorist operations, discusses social-political instability in Ingushetia and looks at the relations between Dagestan and… »

Ukrainian election campaigns ignore EU relations – EU Observer

With one week to go to presidential elections, the issue of EU integration is invisible in campaigning in Ukraine and the most pro-EU candidate is set for a drubbing. The vote on 17 January is being billed by some experts as another turning point for the country, which five years ago overthrew the authoritarian, pro-Russian… »

December Political Report – EU-Russia Centre

For many commentators the primaries for the 2012 presidential elections in Russia have already started. Even if the two men at the top, Dmitri Medvedev and Vladimir Putin, are outwardly loyal to each other, there is considerable rivalry between their respective teams who are above all keen to promote their own interests. Putin remains the… »

Little Support for Terrorism Among Muslim Americans – Pew Research Center

Muslim Americans are “middle class and mostly mainstream.” Compared with their co-religionists in other Western societies, they are relatively well integrated into mainstream society. Unlike Western Europe’s Muslim populations, Muslims in the U.S. are generally as well-educated and financially well-off as the general population. Most (72%) say their communities are good or excellent places to… »

Who Needs Peace, Love, And Understanding, Anyway? – Newsweek

Only about 40 percent of Israelis now long for a rejuvenated peace process with the Palestinians. An even smaller number, about 20 percent, believe such talks would amount to anything. What’s changed is that more Israelis than ever also seem to feel little urgency about reaching that goal. This, as much as any reluctance on… »

Public Looks Back at Worst Decade in 50 Years – Pew Research Center

As the current decade draws to a close, relatively few Americans have positive things to say about it. By roughly two-to-one, more say they have a generally negative (50%) rather than a generally positive (27%) impression of the past 10 years. Happy to put the 2000s behind them, most Americans are optimistic that the 2010s… »

Former Soviet Nations Aren’t Banking on the Dollar – Gallup

The dollar is not king in most former Soviet nations. In its place, Gallup surveys this year show residents in 12 of 15 countries are more likely to view their own local currency or the euro as the most profitable and safest to keep their money… »

Global Restrictions on Religion – The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

This new study by the Pew Research Center finds that 64 nations – about one-third of the countries in the world – have high or very high restrictions on religion. But because some of the most restrictive countries are very populous, nearly 70 percent of the world’s 6.8 billion people live in countries with high… »

Multi-Country Poll Reveals That Majority of People Want Action on Climate Change, Even if it Entails Costs – World Public Opinion

A new poll of 15 nations, most of them in the developing world, finds that majorities of the people canvassed want their governments to take steps to fight climate change, even if that entails costs. People signaled they would support public measures to limit greenhouse gas emissions and step up adaptation measures. For example, respondents… »

Awareness of Climate Change and Threat Vary by Region – Gallup

Between 2007 and 2008, Gallup conducted the first comprehensive survey of global opinions about climate change, posing two questions to respondents in 128 countries: 1) How much do you know about global warming or climate change? and 2) How serious of a threat is global warming to you and your family?
Gallup finds that a… »

Russia and the European Union: a Keystone Relationship – CIDOB

June 24 2009 marked 15 years of formalized partnership and cooperation between the European Union and Russia. Since then EU-Russian relations had gone through a number of stages. From time to time it is questioned whether a new agreement is achievable and necessary at all. Though more self-confident, Russia is still in the process of… »

A Mediterranean maelstrom – the Economist

Turkey’s fading hopes of joining the European Union would be hugely boosted by a Cyprus settlement, for which the next few weeks will be… »