A new Reuters/Ipsos poll found that 74% of Americans want “NATO to “set up ‘no-fly zones’ to protect Ukraine from Russian air strikes”:
WASHINGTON, March 4 (Reuters) – A broad bipartisan majority of Americans think the United States should stop buying Russian oil and gas and work with NATO to set up "no-fly zones" to protect Ukraine from Russian air strikes, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll completed on Friday.
— Idrees Ali (@idreesali114) March 4, 2022
From Reuters:
Some 74% of Americans – including solid majorities of Republicans and Democrats – said the United States and its allies in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization should impose a no-fly zone in Ukraine, the poll found.
An equally bipartisan 80% of Americans said the United States should stop buying Russian oil. The White House on Friday said it was weighing cuts to U.S. imports of Russian oil, though it is proceeding cautiously, concerned about a spike in gasoline prices that would add to high inflation.
Moreover, 81% of Americans think Washington should impose additional sanctions on Russia, up from 77% in a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted on Monday and Tuesday. Support for more sanctions was also bipartisan.
We suspect 74% of Americans do not quite understand the implications of this:
Some 80% of Americans – including solid majorities of Republicans and Democrats – said the U.S. should stop buying Russian oil, according to the poll.
An equally bipartisan 74% of Americans said the United States and its allies in NATO should impose a no-fly zone in Ukraine.— Idrees Ali (@idreesali114) March 4, 2022
Someone please poll these same folks and ask them, “Should the U.S. shoot down Russian fighter aircraft over Ukraine?”:
To be clear, there is basically no way for a no fly zone to be set up without a direct confrontation between the United States and Russia, including likely casualties.
— Idrees Ali (@idreesali114) March 4, 2022
“This is madness”:
This is madness. A no-fly zone will lead to WWIII.
I wonder if that 74% of Americans has considered the massive amount of casualties, displacement, destruction and the costly cyber attacks on our infrastructure that will come after establishing a no-fly zone? https://t.co/hvh0q8S3o5
— Jason Nichols (@drjasonnichols) March 4, 2022
And it’s another potential propaganda win for Russia:
74% of Americans support a "no-fly zone!" This euphemism has done tremendous harm to the American public's understanding of escalation and conflict.
I'm very worried that Russian state media will seize on this and further misrepresent it to Russians. https://t.co/arwFvZseLN
— Emerson T. Brooking (@etbrooking) March 4, 2022
“Thankfully,” NATO and U.S. officials understand what this means:
https://twitter.com/kgosztola/status/1499873092369358848
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, however, is not happy with NATO’s decision:
⚡️Zelensky condemns NATO's decision to not close the sky over Ukraine.
"Today the alliance's leadership gave a green light to the further bombardment of Ukrainian towns and villages, refusing to establish a no-fly zone (over Ukraine)," Zelensky said during his recent address.
— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) March 4, 2022
And he said, “Every person who dies from today will die because of you”:
Zelensky not mincing his criticism of Nato over its refusal to implement no-fly zone: “Every person who dies from today will die because of you."
— Oliver Carroll (@olliecarroll) March 4, 2022
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Related:
‘We own the skies’: Adam Kinzinger calls for a U.S. led no-fly zone over Ukraine
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