Decision 2012

What should America's top foreign policy priority be? Survey says...

POSTED: Saturday, September 15, 2012 - 12:00am

UPDATED: Saturday, September 15, 2012 - 7:59pm

What's the first foreign policy issue the next U.S. president should tackle after the election?

More than 1,000 aspiring foreign secretaries in 114 countries and territories around the world weighed in on CNN International's latest Facebook survey to give us their answer.

The verdict: 45% of voters said America's post-Arab Spring policies should be the top foreign policy priority for either Barack Obama or Mitt Romney.

This mirrors the week's biggest story -- violent protests in Egypt and Libya that resulted in the storming of U.S. diplomatic buildings following the publication on YouTube of an amateur film portraying the Prophet Mohammed in a negative light.

The attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi on Tuesday led to the death of U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens, and by Friday the protests had spread to at least eight other countries.

Our Facebook survey also reflects lingering worries about the European debt crisis: 21% of respondents said America's top task should be to address the crisis that threatens to undermine the euro.

Nearly one in five (18.5%) believe sorting out relations with China should be the next president's first order of business. But just one in 10 people see Iranian and North Korean nuclear proliferation as the top priority.

And last but not least, just one in 20 people (4.7%) chose fighting al Qaeda as the number one foreign policy for the U.S. president -- despite the fact al Qaeda militants and associates are now fighting for influence from Mali to Pakistan.

Last week's Facebook survey (insert link) was dominated by men (75%), and this week even more so: four out of five (80%) who cast votes in our foreign policy survey were male.

The British cast more than a quarter (27%) of this week's votes, followed by the U.S. (17%), Egypt and the Philippines.

More: Follow @CNNi and @CNNPolitics to stay in the know

And, much like last week, the vast majority (62%)of voters were aged 18 to 34. Thanks to everyone who took part.

Did you vote in this week's Facebook survey? If not, what would you like to vote on next week? Leave us top tips in the comments below.

The-CNN-Wire/Atlanta
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To me it seems obvious that all foreign aid and diplomats should be withdrawn from these aetheistic countries. Most of the inhabitants of the Middle East hate Americans and the American culture. Accelerate the quest to make America Energy Independent and let these people self destruct.
Is Mohammed so futile that he cannot withstand criticism or ridicule. Jesus Christ did and continues to do so. And by the way - Jesus Christ "IS" God. Let there be no mistake about that. AMEN!

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