WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Nearly 60 percent of Americans support military action to oust Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein ( news - web sites), but a majority of those believe the United States should win international backing first, according to a poll released on Monday.
A Los Angeles Times Poll showed an even larger majority, 64 percent, supported a ground attack on Iraq if President Bush ( news - web sites) decided to launch one. Twenty-eight percent opposed it.
Of the 59 percent of Americans who favored military action, 61 percent said it should be contingent on the support of the international community. The United States has met strong resistance to an attack on Iraq, even from its closest allies.
The poll found 29 percent of Americans opposed any U.S. military action against Iraq and 12 percent were unsure.
The nationwide poll of 1,372 adults, interviewed from Aug. 22 to 25, had a margin of error of 3 percentage points.
It followed two polls released on Friday, from Newsweek and Time Magazine/CNN, that showed similar figures for those in favor of an attack but significantly less support -- 51 percent and 49 percent -- for a ground war.