Canadians split on whether greater Western intervention would have helped in Aleppo

As the Syrian civil war rages on to different fronts, the global community has begun to assess the battle of Aleppo and the many civilian deaths that took place there.

A new public opinion poll conducted by the Angus Reid Institute finds Canadians feeling less-than-fully informed about the situation in Syria, and divided over whether Western countries like Canada should have done more to prevent or minimize the humanitarian crisis in Aleppo.

Those who feel more knowledgeable about the situation in Syria’s once-largest city are more likely to say Western nations failed by not being more involved there, while those who feel less informed are more likely to say Western nations were right not to get more involved.

Key Findings:

• Fewer than one-in-ten Canadians (8%) say they know “a lot” about the battle of Aleppo. Most feel less confident in their knowledge of the situation in Syria

• Canadians are split between believing that Western nations should have done more to prevent death and destruction in Aleppo (48%) and believing that greater Western intervention was not necessary and would not have helped (52%).

• Knowledge of the situation drives opinions on the Western response to it. Those who profess the greatest understanding of the battle of Aleppo are also most likely to say the West failed by not doing more there (62% do).