CGTN poll: Over 90% condemn U.S. as 'war profiteer'

The total U.S. foreign military sales in the 2023 fiscal year increased by 16 percent over the 2022 fiscal year, reaching a record high of $238 billion. According to a global online survey conducted by CGTN, as many as 93.88 percent of the global respondents condemn the United States for making profits by stirring up tension and provoking wars on a global scale.

In the fiscal year 2023, the U.S. approved the sale of "High Mobility Artillery Rocket System" to Poland, "Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile" to Germany and  "National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System" to Ukraine. In the survey, 92 percent of the respondents blame the U.S. for further aggravating tension and turbulence in the region, and 91.98 percent of them believe that the U.S. has been increasing its foreign military sales, which runs counter to world peace. As one participant in the poll puts it: "The U.S. insists on selling arms to other countries. It only cares about money, never about casualties."

Not only the total foreign military sales in fiscal 2023, but the U.S. defense budget for fiscal 2024 also hit a record high of $886 billion. In the survey, nearly 90 percent (88.72%) of the global respondents worry that America could trigger a new round of global arms race. Meanwhile, 94.81 percent people hold the belief that U.S. foreign military sales are deeply tied to its foreign policy and have become an important tool for the U.S. to coerce and control other countries. "There seems to be no conflict in the world in which the U.S. is not directly or indirectly involved, and their financial, military and political hegemony has become an obstacle to world peace," a netizen says.

"The security of a country should not be pursued at the expense of others. The security of a region should not be achieved by strengthening or expanding military blocs." According to the poll, 90.31 percent of global respondents strongly agree with the point of view. In addition, nearly nine in ten (89.26%) of the respondents point out that a war is without winners, and all countries should take an unambiguous anti-war stance and remain on high alert against any acts and potential risks of war.

This poll, published by CGTN in English, Spanish, French, Arabic and Russian platforms, received responses from 30,813 people in 24 hours.