Chapter 4 > International Cooperation > Support for a Multilateral U.S. Foreign Policy

U.S. Report - pdf version Leaders Questionnaire - pdf version Public Questionnaire - pdf version

Support for a Multilateral U.S. Foreign Policy

As discussed in Chapter 2, 71% of Americans say the United States should do its share in efforts to solve international problems together with other countries, rather than saying that as the sole remaining superpower, the United States should continue to be the preeminent world leader in solving international problems (17%) or that the United States should withdraw from most efforts to solve international problems (9%). This is not a new sentiment; similar results have been found in Times-Mirror and Pew surveys in 1993, 1995, and 1997, with more than 7 in 10 saying they favor a shared leadership role for the United States.

Americans are not put off by the possibility that multilateralism may require the United States to make accommodations to a collective decision-making process. Seventy percent agree that when dealing with common problems, the U.S. and the European Union should be more willing to make decisions jointly, even if this means that the U.S. as well as Europe will sometimes have to go along with a policy that is not its first choice. Just 27% disagree.