How Americans see themselves in the world.(Opinion Pulse)

For half a century, Americans have been telling pollsters that the United States should take an active part in foreign affairs. They prefer to work with our allies when that is possible. But they do draw some lines. Americans don't approve of the United States trying to change dictatorships into democracies unless we are threatened. They also worry that we play the world's policeman too much.

 
Questions Do you think ...? 
 
Best for the future of the United States     68%   77% 
if we take an active part in world affairs 
 
Best if we we stay out                       25%   15% 
 
Source: National Opinion Research Center, the Gallup Organization, 
Program for International Policy Analysis, TNSSOFRES for the 
German Marshall Fund, latest that of June. 
 
Note: Table made from bar graph. 
 
Question: Some people think the only way to prevent some countries 
from picking on others is to have one or two strong nations 
police the world. After the war. do you think ...? 
 
                                         1942 
 
U.S. should take on the responsibility     6% 
of policing the world alone 
 
Take it on with some other nation         44 
  ...