June 7, 1999
Web posted at: 5:09 p.m. EDT (2109 GMT)

WASHINGTON (June 7) -- Most Americans favor the Kosovo peace agreement which Yugoslavia accepted late last week and the public appears to view the situation in Kosovo as a clear victory for the U.S. and NATO, according to the latest CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll.

The possibility of peace has boosted President Bill Clinton's approval rating to 60 percent, and 58 percent say that Clinton is a winner as a result of the military action in Kosovo.

But there are danger signals for the administration in the months ahead: A surprisingly high number of Americans -- 45 percent -- oppose sending 7,000 U.S. ground troops to serve as peacekeepers in Kosovo, and nearly two-thirds say that the U.S. and NATO should continue military action in Yugoslavia until Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic is removed from power. Meanwhile, three-quarters believe that Milosevic will not comply with the terms of the peace plan once the details are hammered out.

And although the chance for peace in Kosovo has boosted Clinton's standing with the public, it has not helped Vice President Al Gore, who has gained no ground in a hypothetical match-up with Texas Governor George W. Bush in the 2000 presidential race.

Nonetheless, the public considers the U.S. and NATO winners as a result of the military action and peace agreement in Kosovo, and sees Yugoslavia and Milosevic as losers.

A troubling note: only one in five think the Albanians in Kosovo are winners. Fifty-eight percent favor using U.S. funds to help rebuild the area that the refugees will return to in Kosovo. And a majority -- 60 percent -- percent oppose using U.S. funds to help rebuild the Serbian areas bombed by the U.S. in Yugoslavia.

The survey of 1,053 adult Americans was conducted June 4-5, 1999 and has a margin of sampling error of +/- three percentage points, unless otherwise indicated.

Monday, June 7, 1999

• White House conference targets attitudes toward mental illness
• Longtime mental health advocate Tipper Gore takes centerstage
• McConnell: Boost campaign donations from $1,000 to $5,000
• Poll: Americans view Kosovo peace as a U.S. victory
• Volatile gun control issue has cooled in House after recess
• Hastert would use billions to end House logjam on spending bills
• Clinton signs fund-raising letter for Gore
• McCain pulls out of GOP straw poll fight
• Clinton plan to help new parents faces obstacles
• Administration to send Congress new security spending package
• As Democrats predict New York win, GOP to hit Mrs. Clinton as outsider
• Chinese spy allegations put Kansas lawmaker into spotlight
• Mob's admitted former mouthpiece favored to become next Las Vegas mayor

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