Most Americans in Poll Favor War if Iraq Tries to Invade Saudi Arabia

NEW YORK —  Most Americans favor waging war on Iraq if it tries to invade Saudi Arabia, holds hostage or kills U.S. citizens in Iraq or Kuwait, or begins to cut off world oil, according to a poll released Saturday.

The survey of 770 people, conducted by the Gallup Organization for Newsweek magazine, also showed that most Americans do not believe the assassination of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein would be a “quick way” of solving the Middle East crisis.

Nearly three-fourths of those surveyed said they believe U.S. troops are likely to become engaged in combat with Iraqi troops.

The poll also showed that 67% would approve of waging war if Iraqi troops invade Saudi Arabia, while 58% said U.S. troops should fight if Iraq begins to control or cut off access to oil-rich Kuwait.

Sixty-one percent of those surveyed said they would approve of combat if the Iraqis hold American civilians hostage, while 79% said war would be warranted if Iraq kills U.S. citizens in Kuwait or Iraq.

Those surveyed were split, however, on whether U.S. troops should wage war if Iraq refuses to leave Kuwait and restore to power that Arab country’s former government, with 42% favoring battle and 40% opposed.

The poll also found that three-fourths of Americans approve of President Bush’s handling of the Middle East crisis.

The telephone poll, conducted Thursday and Friday, has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.