Support for Bush drops among US military: troll

Support for President George W. Bush's Iraq policy has fallen among the US armed forces to just 54 percent from 63 percent a year ago, according to a poll by the magazine group Military Times.

In its annual survey of the views of military personnel, the group reported on its website that support for Bush's overall policies dropped over the past year to 60 percent from 71 percent.

While still significantly more supportive of the president than the broad US population, the fall in support by military personnel tracks a similar decline in the president's popularity among the general public.

"Though support both for President Bush and for the war in Iraq remains significantly higher than in the public as a whole, the drop is likely to add further fuel to the heated debate over Iraq policy," Military Times said.

"In 2003 and 2004, supporters of the war in Iraq pointed to high approval ratings in the Military Times poll as a signal that military members were behind ... the president's policy."

However, it said, the new poll "found diminished optimism that US goals in Iraq can be accomplished, and a somewhat smaller drop in support for the decision to go to war in 2003."

Military Times, which publishes popular magazines for each of the US military branches including Army Times and Navy Times, cautioned that its poll, of 1,215 active-duty servicemen, is not necessarily representative of the military as a whole.

The respondents were "on average older, more experienced, more likely to be officers and more career-oriented than the military population."

But the declining numbers for Bush tracked other polls. According to the CNN/USA Today/Gallup Poll, support for Bush's performance as president fell from 49 percent to 43 percent over the year to December 22.

The Military Times poll also showed a significant decline in the armed forces' views of US military policy and management.

With 61 percent of respondents saying they had served in Iraq or Afghanistan, only 58 percent believed that Bush had the military's best interests at heart, a sharp decline from 69 percent a year before.

Only 56 percent felt the US should have gone to war in Iraq, compared to 60 percent a year before.

And 64 percent felt the same about the Pentagon leadership, compared to 70 percent a year ago.

Addressing key issues facing the Pentagon, the poll showed that almost two-thirds of the soldiers felt the US military is "stretched too thin to be effective", but the number was less than a year ago.

At the same time, there was a fall in resistance to restoring the draft in the United States. Opposition fell from 75 percent a year ago to 68 percent this year.

"While still significantly more supportive of the president than the broad US population, the fall in support by military personnel tracks a similar decline in the president's popularity among the general public."

In todays economy two month old news is the equivalent of stock quotes from 1988. The presidents numbers have been climbing throughout December. Catch up or shut up, as a wise man once said "if you can't keep up with the conversation Pauly you'll have to eat at the kiddie table in the kitchen"

Here is one Marine's opinion:

Re: Military Views on Iraq (3.00 / 0) (#5)
by Hawairish on Jan 02, 2006 -- 08:58:09 PM EST
Please allow me to give some insight. I am a career Marine, recently back from Iraq.

As far as senior troops versus first termers, first termers are begging to fill quotos for duty in Iraq...at least in the Marine Corps...at the very least in my unit; if fact I had to hold a board the last time Marines were requested...too few billets...too many young Marines wanting to serve?? Just the facts...those of us who have had the courage to serve in Iraq have seen the truth. Good things are really happening...and among the best of things?? Young Americans are displaying courage and honor commensurate with the "Greatest Generation." You would not beleive it...unless you could see it...brave young men and women doing very great things in Iraq.

As far as Iraqis taking the helm? Well, that is a challenge. Not because there isn't thousands who want too; it's because of the generations of cultural tendencies to handle things in ways our culture does not accept, coupled with intense hatered, revenge, and retribution...similar to that which plagued Ireland for many years. To many Iraqis (Kurds and Shiites), Saddam is 1000 times worse than Hitler...(ironic how there are references being thrown around about George Bush and Hitler)...I'm no George Bush fan...but that is crazy thinking.

As far as leadership, things are not perfect...things could probably be better...but I'm humble enough to know that I don't know everything...perhaps our leadership knows something I don't...perhaps I know some things you all don't??? Perhaps it is important to keep some things to ourselves...for the greater good.

Things won't go perfectly, and there will be mistakes and losses. Unfortunate. I know more than most that sacrifice is necessary to make things better and safer for us...and others.

Many of you have feelings that don't match the truth. That is OK with me and my Marines. We will be here for you regardless.

Semper Fidelis

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