and 58% oppose torture.
Majority of Americans Oppose Torture
By Jon Cohen
A majority of Americans in a new Washington Post-ABC News poll oppose the use of torture in terrorism investigations, backing President Obama's pledge that "under my administration, the United States does not torture." But there's an even split on whether he should investigate whether laws were broken in the way suspects were treated under the Bush administration.
Overall, 58 percent support the prohibition Obama declared before taking office, but there's a wide gap across party lines: 71 percent of Democrats and 56 percent of independents in the poll said torture should never be used, but most Republicans, 55 percent, said there are cases in which the U.S. should consider using torture against terrorism suspects.
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There's also a large political divide about whether the new administration should look into any illegality on the part of the previous one in terms of its handling of those suspected of terrorist activities, as 69 percent of Democrats said they'd like to see such investigations while 69 percent of Republicans said no. Independents divide 53 to 45 percent against investigations.
Put together, all Americans break 50 percent in favor of investigations, 47 percent opposed.
On the question of the use of torture, a gender gap spans party affiliation, as in all cases women are more apt than men to support Obama's position that torture not be used in any circumstance
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http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2009/01/21/majority_of_americans_oppose_t.html?wprss=44
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