Stability Must Precede Any Pullout, Solid Majority Of Americans Believe

Investors Business Daily ^ | May 14, 2007 | RAGHAVAN MAYUR

[Wuli]

Many Democrats and now some Republicans are calling for America's withdrawal from Iraq. But as President Bush made clear with his veto of a war-funding bill that included a timetable for withdrawal, a pullout isn't likely.

That, however, hasn't stopped critics from insisting that our soldiers come home and proclaiming — as Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid did — that "this war is lost."

For its part, the White House has warned that leaving Iraq before it has been stabilized would likely cause, as spokeswoman Dana Perino put it, the collapse of the "fragile young Iraqi democracy (and) the killing of countless innocent civilians."

It also would provide a "safe haven" from which al-Qaida and other terrorist groups could mount attacks against Americans and others it deems enemies of their ideology, the White House says.

On these points, according to the latest IBD/TIPP Poll, Americans side with the White House.

A majority (54%) of the 903 adults surveyed last week disagree with Reid's assessment that the war is lost, with 30% disagreeing "strongly." Meanwhile, 78% say Iraq should be stabilized before troops are withdrawn. Fully 48% believe this is "very important."

In short, the idea of stabilizing Iraq before withdrawing troops has universal appeal, and the idea could potentially unify support behind the president.

In fact, our poll shows this concept appeals not only to Republicans, 91% of whom agree with it, and Independents (80%), but to a solid majority of Democrats (66%).

[Wuli]

Communication, communication, communication - what has always been the Bush weak point - not just the facts but the framing of the facts in unreasonable terms that generate unreasonable expectations (victory) when "victory" in the WOT will be many POTUSes into the future, as was the demise of the Soviets, and if we are to stay on the offense, there will always been some role, some level of U.S.-Iraqi military and intelligence cooperation in the WOT; and Iraq's "stability" at any level that permits the government to move ahead and improve will always be a force against the abilities of the terrorists.

[traderrob6]

Related....

http://exposingtheleft.blogspot.com/2007/05/ibdtipp-poll-war-is-not-lost-and.html

[colorado tanker]

Ruh, roh. The Dims’ polls and focus groups were wrong - or asked the wrong question??

[tobyhill]

AP “The vote was a loss for Sen. Russell Feingold, D-Wis., and other Democrats who want to end the war. But the effort picked up support from members, including presidential hopefuls previously reluctant to limit war funding — an indication of the conflict’s unpopularity among voters”

For goodness sake AP it got shot down with only 29 votes for it. Even our own RINO Hagel voted against it.

[IMRight]

“Ruh, roh. The Dims’ polls and focus groups were wrong - or asked the wrong question??”

And IBD isn’t exactly a polling organization that leans to the right.

[colorado tanker]

And IBD isn’t exactly a polling organization that leans to the right.

Actually, IBP doesn't do any polling, it contracts with TIPP, which also works with the Christian Science Monitor. TIPP called 2004 very accurately.

[rocksblues]

But the effort picked up support from members, including presidential hopefuls previously reluctant to limit war funding

See Hillary!