WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Nearly half of Americans favor requiring all young men and young women in the U.S. to give one year of service to the nation, according to a new Gallup poll, although a majority of the group most likely to be affected oppose the idea.
The poll found that 49 percent of Americans favor requiring young men and women to give a year or service in either the military forces or in non-military work in the U.S. or abroad, while 45 percent are opposed.
The idea has strong support among Republicans and independents who lean Republican, men and people aged 65 or older.
However, 57 percent of people under the age of 30, who would be the group most likely required to serve, oppose the idea. Thirty-nine percent of those under 30 are in favor.
'The idea that young adults should be required to serve the nation for a period of time has percolated on the national stage for many years,' said Gallup's Jim Norman. 'While Americans today are not overwhelmingly in favor of it, neither are they overwhelmingly opposed.'
He added, 'Until the proposal rises to the level of a major political issue, however, it is unclear just how firm the public's views are, or how much arguments for and against national service will be able to sway Americans' opinions.'
The Gallup survey of 1,006 adults was conducted November 3rd and 4th and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.
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