Citizens Back French Role if War Erupts, Poll Shows
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PARIS — By a slight margin, the French want their armed forces to fight alongside the United States in the event of war with Iraq, according a poll released Friday.
Of 800 people surveyed this week by the IPSOS polling firm, 47% said they favored French participation in a multinational force if war broke out, while 43% were opposed.
The poll, conducted for the weekly magazine Le Point, said 46% of the respondents hoped U.S. forces would confront Iraq directly, while 34% hoped this would not happen.
Asked if they had confidence in President Francois Mitterrand’s ability to serve French interests in his handling of the crisis, 59% said “yes” and 31% said “no.”
No margin of error for the poll was given.
France prepared to bolster its Persian Gulf forces to seven ships and 3,200 military personnel Friday.
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