On First Anniversary, Americans Divided on Impact of Iraq War

Gallup News Service ^ | March 18, 2004 | David W. Moore

[RWR8189]

Majority say war worth it, but evenly divided on whether United States is safer

PRINCETON, NJ -- A year after the United States launched the war against Iraq, a new CNN/USA Today/Gallup survey finds Americans divided on the war's impact. While a small majority says the war was worth it and that things are going at least moderately well for the United States in Iraq, the public is evenly divided as to whether the war has made the United States safer. Americans are also evenly split as to what will happen when the United States eventually pulls its troops out of Iraq -- about half say chaos will result, the other half expect a stable government to be established. All of these views are highly correlated with people's party affiliations: Republicans are very strongly positive, Democrats very strongly negative, and independents about evenly divided.

The poll, conducted March 5-7, shows 55% of Americans saying the war was worth it, while 43% disagree. This response is more positive than what Gallup measured at the end of January, when the public was evenly divided, with 49% taking each position. That poll took place immediately after the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary, when Democrats received much media attention as they campaigned against each other and also criticized Bush's handling of the situation in Iraq.

 

Worth Going to War in Iraq?

Opinion on this matter has varied considerably over the past year. In the immediate wake of the war's launch, Americans said the war was worth it by more than a 2-to-1 margin (68% to 29%). Positive feelings reached their peak after the major fighting ended and Saddam Hussein's regime toppled. But by last fall, amid reports of armed resistance from guerrilla forces, positive feelings about the war declined. Support for the war increased throughout the fall and particularly after Hussein was captured, but support then fell as the capture faded from media attention and Democrats' criticisms moved to the forefront of the news.

[RWR8189]

Gallup Ping

FReepmail me if you want to be on or off the list.

[McGavin999]

One year after the start of WWII Americans didn't think they were safer either. Good grief, we're in the MIDDLE of a war.

[RWR8189]

This was on their website too.

Slightly more than half of the American public believes George W. Bush would do a better job than John Kerry in handling the situation in Iraq. Next, regardless of which presidential candidate you support, please tell me if you think John Kerry or George W. Bush would better handle each of the following issues. How about the situation in Iraq? ± 3% Margin of Error March 5-7, 2004 Sample Size=1,005

[Krodg]

Slightly more than half of the American public believes George W. Bush would do a better job than John Kerry in handling the situation in Iraq.

54% vs 39 % is slightly more?

[meenie]

I would like to say that one hundred thousand plus soldiers are doing more to handle the situation in Iraq than either of the candidates.

[RWR8189]

bttt

[roses of sharon]

And the elite/lib/dem/media will make sure Amercians and citizens world-wide we see the WOT as a 1/2 sitcom.

Notice how they report on Iraq in a vacume, as if Bush woke up one day and said "attack".

9/11 is now "exploitation" of the families.

The Gulf War, and Saddams surrender agreement, the no-fly zones, his so-called "containment", the UN's "oil for food" corruption, his WMD use, mass graves, his science and capabilites, make him "just a bad guy".

No mention of the 25 yr murder spree of the Islamic Cults. With impunity I might add, since these cults are "victims" of Israel.

And Saddams open financial support for these cults.

No mention of the UN and INC choosen date in June for a turnover, (as if Bush just picked a date for election purposes).

And on and on.

The Dem media is playing this just how they want.

[trebb]

But, why not ask the same folks if they think were safer for having entered the war on terror, compared to how safe we would be if we just shrugged it off, let the UN "condemn" it and got on with our lives...