US Does Not Recognize Europe's Role in Fight Against Daesh

According to a Sputnik.Polls survey, 80 percent of Americans believe that the US is the main force fighting against Daesh in Syria.

WASHINGTON, Sputnik Press-Office ‒ Of those respondents who acknowledge the contribution Europe is making to the struggle, Germany's role was recognized by just 8 percent, Russia's by 25 percent, the UK's by 29 percent while 36 percent noted France's effort. The survey was conducted in the US by the Populus research company for Sputnik news agency and radio.

In Germany, 36 and 38 percent of respondents believe that Russia and the US, respectively, are playing the same leading role in the fight against such terrorist groups as Daesh and Jabhat al-Nusra in Syria. France ranks third on 25 percent. 24 percent of respondents named the Syrian government's army and the Kurds among the forces fighting terrorists.

Fight Against Daesh: Public Opinion vs Facts

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The French believe that the US (32 percent), France (29 percent) and Russia (23 percent) are leading the fight. Only 2 percent of the French public thinks that Turkey is playing a significant role in combating terrorism in Syria. While 59 percent of British respondents identified the US as the main force in the fight, followed by 52 percent who pointed to the UK, 39 percent to France and 37 percent to Russia.

The survey in the United States and the United Kingdom was conducted by the major research company Populus on February 3-4, 2016, in Germany by Forsa on February 4-8, and in France by the oldest polling company IFOP, on February 3-5. The survey involved 1,047 British respondents, 1,004 American respondents, 1,002 German respondents and 1,499 French respondents.

According to the US Department of Defense, Russian Ministry of Defense,  French Defense Ministry and UK Ministry of Defense, as of February 2016, Russia has carried out 7,725 air strikes, the US — 3,267, the UK — 33, France — 5.

Daesh is a terrorist organization whose activities are banned in many countries, including Russia.

About the Sputnik.Polls Project

The international public opinion project was inaugurated in January 2015, in partnership with Populus, Forsa and Ifop France's oldest polling institute. The project organizes regular surveys in the United States and Europe on the most sensitive social and political issues.

Sputnik (sputniknews.com) — is a news agency and radio network with multimedia news hubs in dozens of countries. Sputnik broadcasts through its websites, analog and digital radio, mobile apps and social media. Sputnik newswires, available by subscription, run around the clock in English, Arabic, Spanish and Chinese.