WASHINGTON, Dec 18: Six in 10 Americans would support using nuclear weapons against Iraq if Saddam Hussein attacks US military forces with chemical or biological weapons, a poll said Wednesday.

Nearly 90 per cent of the US public also believed that a second Gulf War is virtually inevitable, according to a Washington Post-ABC Tele-vision News poll of 1,209 adults carried out last week.

Bush’s overall job approval rating stood at 66 per cent, and 79 per cent of people interviewed backed his handling of the anti- terrorism campaign, The Washington Post reported.

Six in 10 interviewees said Saddam Hussein should be toppled. But half were against using US ground troops to do it, and 58 per cent opposed military action without the United Nations’ support.

Most Americans viewed Iraq as a major threat and believe it has weapons of mass destruction, but fewer than half said it poses an immediate danger to the United States, the Post reported.—dpa

Opinion

Editorial

A difficult story
Updated 12 Jun, 2026

A difficult story

Unless productivity becomes the dominant target of economic policy, Pakistan will continue to oscillate between crises and fragile recovery.
Rough waters
12 Jun, 2026

Rough waters

AMONGST the key potential triggers for fresh conflict in South Asia is water. The Indian state is behaving in an...
Politicised football
12 Jun, 2026

Politicised football

ALMOST three-and-half years since Lionel Messi led Argentina to FIFA World Cup glory, the latest edition of...
GB polls’ aftermath
Updated 11 Jun, 2026

GB polls’ aftermath

The new administration must address the region’s issues proactively.
Peace in retreat
11 Jun, 2026

Peace in retreat

THE ceasefire announced in April was supposed to create space for negotiations. Instead, it has been repeatedly...
A few good men
11 Jun, 2026

A few good men

IT was a brave move, no doubt. This Tuesday, in the land of the Afghan Taliban, a few good men decided to take a...