Most Americans Oppose Regime Change in North Korea

TMH’s R. Elgin is clearly more impressed than I am with the occult powers of the American electorate, to see the future of the Korean peninsula. But, he missed what the far less bellicose message in that poll is.


At this point, Americans would support assistance to South Korea in the event of a war, but are clearly not in favour of an invasion to remove the communist regime.

47% of American, with Republicans and Independents more generous than Democrats, would be willing to come to the aid of the South Koreans, if a war broke out on the peninsula. Only 35%, though – again with Republicans chomping at the bit – would be in favor of an American invasion, to remove the Kim regime. War fatigue, isolationism, libertarianism, whatever, but most Americans clearly don’t view the Korean peninsula as a place where American blood should be spilled.

The next question I would ask is, if Americans would support American assistance if Seoul were perceived to have responded disproportionately to North Korean provocation. There’s a danger in interpreting this poll as giving Seoul license to egg on Pyongyang, with the faith that at least half of Americans would take the South Korean side. Overall, I find the percentages low, and therefore troubling for the alliance.


Filed under: Korea, Military, Social Science, USA Tagged: angus reid, democrats, dprk, independents, north korea, polls, repubicans, rok