Fewer Teens than Adults Nationwide Support Military Action Against Iraq

Rochester, NY—March 6, 2003—Although half (51%) of American teens feel it will not be possible to prevent Saddam Hussein from making or hiding weapons of mass destruction without a military attack on Iraq, fewer teens (34%) than adults (45%) favor a military attack on Iraq if President Bush believes Saddam Hussein is hiding weapons of mass destruction but the UN weapons inspectors can't find any, and if the United Nations does not vote to approve such an attack. And, while 45% of teens say that President Bush has convinced them that Saddam Hussein is sufficiently dangerous to justify military action, an equal number (46%) says they are not confident that President Bush will make the right decisions regarding the use of force against Iraq.

These are some of the results of The Harris Poll^® conducted online by Harris Interactive^® among a nationwide sample of 2,271 adults and 925 teenagers from February 12 to 25, 2003.

Some of the main findings of this survey are:

• Teenagers in America have less confidence in President Bush than adults do, with 44% of teens and 58% of adults saying they are very or somewhat confident that President Bush will make the right decisions.
• Teens (34%) would be less likely than adults (45%) to support a military attack on Iraq if President Bush believes Saddam Hussein is hiding weapons of mass destruction but the UN weapons inspectors can't find any, and if the United Nations does not vote to approve such an attack.
• While teens believe there is a link between Saddam Hussein and Al Qaeda, they are less convinced than adults, with 69% of teens and 78% of adults thinking there is either some link or a close link between them.
• Forty-five percent (45%) of teens feel that President Bush has convinced them that Saddam Hussein is sufficiently dangerous to justify military action against him, while 32% are not convinced and 23% are not sure.
• Almost two-thirds (65%) of teens feel that President Bush would prefer a military attack on Iraq than to achieve his main goals without attacking Iraq. Just over half (52%) of adults felt this way.

"America’s teenagers are less certain than adults about their opinions regarding Iraq," said John Geraci, vice president of youth research for Harris Interactive. "They feel that President Bush wants an attack rather than a peaceful resolution, and they feel that removing Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction is the most justifiable reason for an attack. Yet, unlike adults, proportionately more teens than adults are opposed to a military attack on Iraq."

"How much confidence do you have that President Bush and his administration will make the right decisions regarding the use, or non-use, of the US military to attack Iraq?"

"Would you favor or oppose a military attack on Iraq if President Bush believes Saddam Hussein is hiding weapons of mass destruction but the UN weapons inspectors can't find any, and the United Nations does not vote to approve such an attack?"

"Do you think there is a link between Saddam Hussein and Al Qaeda?"

"Overall, do you feel that President Bush wants a military attack on Iraq or that he'd prefer to achieve his main goals without attacking Iraq?"

The Harris Poll^® was conducted online within the United States between February 19 and 25, 2003, among a nationwide cross section of 2,271 adults (ages 18+) and between February 12 and 18, 2003, among a nationwide cross section of 925 teenagers (ages 13-19). Figures for age, sex, race, education and number of adults in the household were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. "Propensity score" weighting was also used to adjust for respondents’ propensity to be online.

In theory, with a probability sample of this size, one can say with 95 percent certainty that the results have a statistical precision of +/-2 two percentage points (for adult data) and +/-3 percentage points (for teen data) of what they would be if the entire adult population had been polled with complete accuracy. Unfortunately, there are several other possible sources of error in all polls or surveys that are probably more serious than theoretical calculations of sampling error. They include refusals to be interviewed (non-response), question wording and question order, interviewer bias, weighting by demographic control data and screening (e.g., for likely voters). It is impossible to quantify the errors that may result from these factors. This online survey is not a probability sample.

About Harris Interactive^®

Harris Interactive (www.harrisinteractive.com) is a worldwide market research and consulting firm best known for The Harris Poll^®, and for pioneering the Internet method to conduct scientifically accurate market research. Headquartered in Rochester, New York, U.S.A., Harris Interactive combines proprietary methodologies and technology with expertise in predictive, custom and strategic research. The Company conducts international research through wholly owned subsidiaries—London-based HI Europe (www.hieurope.com) and Tokyo-based Harris Interactive Japan—as well as through the Harris Interactive Global Network of local market- and opinion-research firms, and various U.S. offices. EOE M/F/D/V

To become a member of the Harris Poll Online^SM and be invited to participate in future online surveys, visit www.harrispollonline.com.

Press Contacts:

Nancy Wong
Harris Interactive
585-214-7316
nwong@harrisinteractive.com