Most Don't Believe US Attack Will Happen in Next Six Months

A new poll from Gallup shows that a majority of Americans, 58%, are in favor of attacking North Korea militarily if the US “cannot accomplish its goals by more peaceful means first.” Americans were split more or less evenly on whether sanctions and diplomacy could work.

This is the first time Gallup has asked about attacking North Korea since 2003. At the time, only 47% favored an attack. The shift in the last 14 years appears to have been greatly along political lines, with an overwhelming 82% of Republicans now backing war, compared to just 37% of Democrats.

The possibility of such an attack has been discussed a lot more this year than any time in decades. Repeated North Korean tests have been presented as a growing threat to the US mainland, with the Trump Administration declaring diplomacy a failure from the start.

Despite so much talk of imminent war, and a shift toward support for military aggression, the poll also showed a majority of Americans don’t think a US attack will be happening in the next six months, suggesting that most believe something short of war is going to be given considerable additional time.