Europeans Favor Missile Defense by Margin of 71 Percent to 16 Percent

Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance, ROME: More than 7-in-10 (71%) of Europeans favor the deployment of a NATO missile defense capability able to protect the continent from attack by missiles bearing weapons of mass destruction, according to a poll that was jointly sponsored by the George C. Marshall Center for Security Studies and Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance.
 
By contrast, only 16% think that NATO should not have this capability.  
 
“It is clear from the survey that the threat is real, urgent and needs to be addressed. In addition, there is a strong belief that NATO nations need to be at the forefront in finding a ballistic missile defense system capable of providing security for the nations in the region,” said Dr. John Rose, Director of the Marshall Center in Garmisch, Germany.  
 
The poll was conducted by the polling firm of Novatris/Harris with a margin error rate of +/- 2.9% in France, Germany, the U.K., Spain, Italy, Poland, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands and Denmark. The poll indicated that in the aggregate 56% of the adults surveyed would support a deployment of such a defensive system in their own country. Further, 73% suggested it is a good idea for NATO to expand such a defensive system to protect troops in the field as well as citizens at home.  
 
The poll revealed current information about what Europeans view as the most compelling threats to the continent.  
 
–26% rated the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction as the most significant threat facing Europe compared to 52% who said violent acts by terrorists groups pose the greatest threat.  
 
–Only 3% saw China's growing military power as a threat, compared to 5% concerned with Iran's nuclear ascendancy or 3% concerned with North Korea's ability to acquire or export nuclear technology.  
 
–75% said ballistic missiles with nuclear, chemical or biological weapons could be used as instruments of blackmail or coercion against NATO or NATO countries.  
 
Asked whether they think their own country should have a missile defense system, the following percentages answered affirmatively: France (69%), Germany (68%), the U.K. (72%), Spain (54%), Italy (60%), Poland (84%), the Czech Republic (62%), the Netherlands (63%) and Denmark (44%).  
 
“The poll results strongly demonstrate that Europeans are concerned about the threat posed by ballistic missiles potentially armed with weapons of mass destruction,” said Riki Ellison, President of the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance, a not-for-profit organization that advocates missile defense. “They are determined to protect their way of life by fielding a purely defensive capability,” he continued.  
 
The poll revealed a negligible difference between the support of men and women across Europe, with 73% of men saying there should be a NATO missile defense system and 69% of women holding that same view. Further, a majority of each self-identified political view, “right of center” (83% should have), “center” (80%) or “left of center” (60%), said there should be a NATO missile defense system  
 
“The poll reveals that Europeans, regardless of their political affiliation or gender, widely support the immediate deployment of a missile defense capability to protect their way of life,” Ellison said. “This should place an even greater emphasis on political leaders to listen to their constituents and increase the priority to move forward quickly on missile defense,” he said.  
 
For the full set of poll results and power- point presentation please see website at http://www.missiledefenseadvocacy.org