Europeans Oppose Attack on Iran, Tire of Afghan War, Poll Says

Europeans are overwhelmingly against a potential American military attack to thwart Iran's nuclear ambitions and are tiring of the war against the Taliban in Afghanistan, a survey showed.

Americans are more willing to contemplate the use of force against Iran and remain in favor of the Afghan war, according to a poll released yesterday by the German Marshall Fund of the United States and the Italian foundation Compagnia di San Paolo.

"Europeans are very skittish about the possibility of even maintaining the option of using military force," John Glenn, director of foreign policy at the German Marshall Fund, said in an interview from Washington.

While blaming President Bush and the Iraq war for much of the foreign-policy discord between America and Europe, the survey's authors concluded that the gulf is likely to persist after Mr. Bush leaves the White House in 2009. Europeans, led by Germans, are increasingly worried about terrorism and the menace of Islamic radicalism — sharing many of the preoccupations Americans confronted in the wake of the September 11, 2001, attacks.

Views diverge when it comes to dealing with threats. Only 18% of Europeans would back possible use of force against Iran in case diplomacy fails to dismantle the Islamic republic's nuclear program, compared to 47% of Americans.