One of the knocks on then candidate Barack Obama was a perceived lack of foreign policy experience and/or judgment. He was clearly against the war in Iraq, but many cited his limited time in government as lacking in what it takes to implement and understand foreign policy. Yet President Obama has made recent decisions that have not been rejected by the American people, instead finding approval for the recent no fly zone over Libya and the remaining-to-be-closed-but-still-open Guantanamo Bay prison camp, recently in the news regarding KSM's future military tribunal.
So what did the numbers say?
Keeping open the prison at Guantanamo Bay
for terrorist suspects: 39 Strongly Approve 28 Somewhat Approve;
Supporting a no fly-zone in Libya with U.S.
military support: 31 Strongly Approve 35 Somewhat Approve;
Continuing the war in Afghanistan: 10 Strongly 29 Somewhat; 26 Somewhat Disapprove 32 Strongly Disapprove
Beginning with Guantanamo Bay, an apparent broken campaign promise for all intents and purposes, Obama's conduct has pretty broad support; 67% of people strongly or somewhat approve of keeping the prison open. Perhaps Obama's campaign trail response to the inevitable voter question about Gitmo will reflect this support.
Obama's implementation of the no-fly zone in Libya also holds broad support; 66% of people strongly or somewhat approve. The questions about the speed to which the intervention was implemented will likely fade as the future takes shape of what exactly is going to happen to Qaddafi, but it looks like Obama got this one right in the public eye.
Finally, Afghanistan. It's clear that the war is unpopular. Indeed, coupled with the numbers about wanting Obama to focus on domestic policy, a 58% clip somewhat or strongly disapproves of continuing the war, to 30% of strongly/somewhat approve. How the war drags on over the approaching months will probably have little effect on the fact that people want out.
So Obama's foreign policy at this point in the Presidency is getting some mixed results, though his decisions have enjoyed broad support in this poll. An incumbent is always tough to face and out-maneuver on foreign policy issues because of the immediate 4 years of experience. But Obama seems to have made some calls that have not been unpopular, lending more credibility to his foreign policy saavy. If he makes considerable progress on winding down Afghanistan, Obama will be even that more robust.