"Moved by daily television pictures of Kosovar refugees, the poll found that nearly two-thirds of voters support an escalation of the conflict ..." A sell-job well-done. "When we're engaged in hostilities, it's no time to question the president." --Rep. Lane Evans, D-Ill., member of the House Armed Services Committee Washington, April 1 (Reuters) -- A new Washington Post and ABC News poll found that 54 percent of Americans approve of Clinton's handling of the situation in Kosovo, up from 48 percent a week ago. The survey of 939 adults also showed 47 percent believe U.S. vital interests are at stake in Kosovo, up from 41 percent one week ago. The poll, conducted March 28 to 30, had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points. London, April 2 (Bloomberg) -- Debate about the merits of sending ground troops into Kosovo has intensified. While NATO and U.S. officials strongly deny the are considering sending ground troops, army chiefs of the 12,000 NATO soldiers in Macedonia have maintained that ground forces is the only way to drive out Yugoslav forces from Kosovo's mountainous terrain. When pressed to discuss the possibility of sending in a land combat force in an interview with a Spanish radio station, Javier Solana, NATO secretary-general, said: ``If necessary it will happen,'' the Guardian newspaper reported. Neither French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin nor President Jacques Chirac have ruled out the use of ground troops. Public Backing An ICM opinion poll sponsored by the London-based Guardian newspaper showed British public backing for the use of ground troops has increased. Moved by daily television pictures of Kosovar Alanian refugees, the poll found nearly two-thirds of voters support an escalation of the conflict. Some 58 percent of voters said they would support the use of British ground troops, up from 34 percent when ICM last carried out the poll on March 26. Support for air-raids also increased to 65 percent from 56 percent. Polls in France, who together with the British have the largest deployment of troops in Macedonia, show the majority support NATO action. Le Monde says Jospin's office believes 55 percent of French people support bombing. Macedonian media says NATO officials are beginning to pay attention to a French proposal that Kosovo should become an international protectorate. A number of diplomats have suggested establishing ``safe-havens'' in Kosovo, policed by an international military force. Polls taken in Russia show the vast majority oppose NATO airstrikes.
