A new Gallup poll finds that a narrow majority of Americans favor investigations of interrogation methods — though it’s not a resounding mandate, relative to other issues.
The question as asked is: “Would you favor or oppose a government investigation into the use of harsh interrogation techniques of terrorism suspects?” The result is 51% in favor to 42% against. From the pollster’s analysis:
While a slim majority favors an investigation, on a relative basis the percentage is quite low because Americans are generally quite supportive of government probes into potential misconduct by public officials. In recent years, for example, Americans were far more likely to favor investigations into the firing of eight U.S. attorneys (72%), government databases of telephone numbers dialed by Americans (62%), oil company profits (82%), and the government’s response to Hurricane Katrina (70%).
Another question finds 55% of respondents saying that “harsh interrogation techniques” were justified for terrorism suspects, compared to 36% against.
It’s interesting to consider that this poll used the phrase “harsh interrogation techniques” instead of the much simpler “torture,” and how this can possibly affect a result. The ABC/Washington Post poll, which found a similar number for investigations of “the way terrorism suspects were treated,” also had only a near-even split on whether “torture” was justified.
