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Akbar Novruz

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More than one in five American college students believe the United States deserved the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, according to a new survey by the Buckley Institute, raising questions about political attitudes among younger generations.

As reported by the New York Post, 22% of students surveyed agreed with the statement, “America deserved Sept. 11,” referring to the al-Qaeda attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania.

The findings come 25 years after the attacks, with the surveyed generation having been born after the events that profoundly reshaped American foreign policy and national security.

The September 11 attacks involved hijacked commercial aircraft being deliberately crashed into the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon near Washington, while a fourth plane crashed in Pennsylvania after passengers attempted to regain control.

The Buckley Institute's findings also point to broader ideological divisions among American university students, particularly regarding economic systems and US foreign policy.

Socialism gains support among American students

According to the institute's annual survey, 42% of respondents said they would prefer to live under a socialist economic system, compared with 28% who favoured capitalism.

The remaining 30% expressed no preference.

The 14-percentage-point advantage for socialism represents the largest gap recorded during the five years in which the institute has included the question in its survey.

The findings also suggest that a significant proportion of students view historical socialist systems more favourably than the American economic model.

When asked whether countries such as Cuba and the former Soviet Union offered a better economic system than capitalist countries such as the United States, 47% agreed with the statement.

By comparison, 33% said the American capitalist model was preferable.

These results indicate substantial differences in how surveyed students assess competing economic systems, although the figures do not establish the reasons behind their preferences.

Survey indicates shifting attitudes towards Israel and Palestine

The poll also recorded a change in students' views regarding Israel and Palestine.

Asked which would be a better ally for the United States, 38% of respondents selected Palestine, while 25% chose Israel.

According to the Buckley Institute, the results represent a nine-percentage-point shift away from Israel compared with the previous year's survey.

The findings suggest changing political preferences among the students surveyed amid continuing debate over American foreign policy and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

However, attitudes towards Israel and Palestine, preferences for socialism and responses to the September 11 question represent distinct findings and should not be interpreted as necessarily reflecting the same political motivations.

The survey offers a snapshot of opinions among its respondents, rather than establishing that the findings represent all American college students.

*cover image credit: Tamara Beckwith/NY Post