Gallup: Despite Fallujah, Americans Skeptical About Ultimate Success in Iraq (Bush Approval at 55%)

Gallup News Service ^ | November 23, 2004 | David W. Moore

[RWR8189]

Majority of Americans say Iraqis will not accept results of January elections

PRINCETON, NJ -- A new CNN/USA Today/Gallup survey finds a divided country over the war in Iraq, with about half expressing confidence in ultimate success and the other half saying U.S. goals will not be achieved. More Americans today say the United States is winning the war than said that last month, but still less than a majority expresses such optimism. The military offensive in Fallujah may have contributed to the more positive assessment, with most Americans viewing it as a positive development in Iraq. Still, a plurality of Americans believe the United States will not be able to establish a stable democratic government in Iraq (although this is up from April), and a majority believes that most Iraqis will not accept as legitimate the outcome of the Iraqi elections next January.

The poll, conducted Nov. 19-21, finds Americans almost evenly divided over the war in Iraq, as has been the case for the past several months:

[snip]

Bush Approval

The new poll finds 55% of Americans saying they approve of the job George W. Bush is doing as president, while 42% disapprove. The approval figure is up from 53% right after the election and 48% just before.

The views are also highly polarized, with 39% of Americans saying they "strongly" approve and 31% saying they "strongly" disapprove. "Moderate" opinions are less widespread: 16% moderately approve of Bush's performance, 11% moderately disapprove.

This past summer, "moderate" approval/disapproval was higher, constituting about 31% of Americans, compared with only 25% who felt moderate about Bush's approval shortly before the election, and 27% in the current poll.

 

[RWR8189]

Gallup Ping

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

[JeeperFreeper]

Given the relentless promotion of terrorists acts and the
stonewalling of good news, the numbers aren't surprising at all.

[DrDeb]

This article fails to cite the President's FAVORABILITY rating!

According to Gallup, the President's FAVORABILITY rating is now 60% (39% unfavorable -- +21) . . . Americans LIKE/LOVE their president, only the left/right fringes engage in the politics of hate!!!

[Paleo Conservative]

Too bad we didn't go in and clean out Falluja in April. We could have saved lots of American and Iraqi lives by taking out Falluja as the Al Qaeda command and control center. I also think W's approval ratings would have been higher going into the election, and we wouldn't have had such a tense election night waiting to see who would win.

[what's up]

Fallujah was supposed to be the big problem, yet was dealt with expeditiously.

Now, elections are around the corner. Can we say the biggest problems in Iraq are behind us?

[cookcounty]

"The new poll finds 55% of Americans saying they approve of the job George W. Bush is doing as president, while 42% disapprove. The approval figure is up from 53% right after the election and 48% just before."

Good news, W's approval up 7%, but the press feels compelled to start with the negative. Another example to show my kids and grandkids what a bunch of negative whiners and losers make up the press corps. Thanks for posting original title.

[Edgerunner]

Only appears we did it fast.
The reason for the speed was due to the dangerous work many Iraqis preformed locating where the bastards were and other info needed. The covert assessment was very good and allowed US and Iraqi troops to concentrate on the dangerous targets.
Good work everybody!

[Blowtorch]

Too bad we didn't go in and clean out Falluja in April. We could have saved lots of American and Iraqi lives by taking out Falluja as the Al Qaeda command and control center.

If we had timed it right, we could have taken out Zarqawi too. I am hoping we get him soon and cut his head off on video.