NEW YORK, Nov 17: More and more Americans believe that the United States should ‘mind its own business internationally and let other countries get along the best they can on their own’, according to the findings of a quadrennial poll on foreign policy issues. The findings were released on Thursday.

The poll finds both the public and US opinion leaders taking a decidedly cautious view of America’s place in the world, reflecting concerns about the Iraq issue and growing problems at home, the Council of Foreign Relations said.

The survey, a collaborative effort between the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press and the Council on Foreign Relations, finds a striking revival of isolationist sentiment among Americans.

Forty-two per cent of the respondents said the United States should ‘mind its own business internationally and let other countries get along the best they can on their own’. That represents a sharp increase since 2002 (30%), and is on a par with the percentage expressing that view during the mid-1970s, following the Vietnam war, and in the 1990s after the Cold War ended.

The interviews conducted among eight groups of influential Americans reveals that they have become less supportive of the United States playing a ‘first among equals’ role among the world’s leading nations. The goal of promoting democracy in other nations also has lost ground, and while most opinion leaders view President Bush’s calls for expanded democracy in the Middle East as a good idea, far fewer think it will actually succeed.

These are foremost findings of the poll of America’s Place in the World, a quadrennial survey of opinion leaders from religion, government, the news media, academia, the military and several other professions, along with the public, conducted by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press in collaboration with the Council on Foreign Relations.

The survey, conducted from Sept 5 to Oct 31, reflects major changes in the world that have occurred since the previous poll, conducted in the summer of 2001 - just prior to the 9/11 attacks.

Among other findings of the poll are :

- Four years ago, there was a broad concurrence, if not a consensus, that China represented the greatest danger to the United States. Today, opinion leaders mention China, North Korea and Iran. China’s emerging global power is not triggering increased concern among opinion leaders or the general public.

— Opinion leaders are divided over whether the US should pursue policies to ensure that America remains the world’s only superpower. Religious leaders and scientists and engineers – groups that generally support a more limited leadership role for America – believe it would be acceptable if a rival military power emerged. But most state and local government officials, military leaders, and foreign affairs experts say US policies should be aimed at retaining America’s status as the sole military superpower.

— Underscoring the rising importance of Asia, India and China are mentioned most often by opinion leaders as more important US allies in the future.

The respondents are more unified in their opinion of which US allies will decline in importance – France is named far more frequently than any other country.

— The survey finds a continuation of long-standing differences between the public and opinion-makers over issues such as trade and the importance of protecting American jobs. However for both opinion leaders and the public, partisanship is the decisive factor in views of President Bush and his principal policies – especially those related to Iraq.

- Perception of the United Nations has become much more negative over the past four years. Only about half of Americans (48%) now express a positive opinion of the UN, down from 77% four years ago.