(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – The vast majority of people in Britain think that, in hindsight, committing troops to fight a war in Iraq was the wrong thing to do, according to a poll by ICM Research. 65 per cent of respondents share this opinion, while 28 per cent disagree.
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – The vast majority of people in Britain think that, in hindsight, committing troops to fight a war in Iraq was the wrong thing to do, according to a poll by ICM Research. 65 per cent of respondents share this opinion, while 28 per cent disagree.
In addition, 67 per cent of respondents think it is unlikely that Iraq will become a fully democratic nation any time soon.
During the tenure of British prime minister Tony Blair, Britain committed troops to both the war on terrorism in Afghanistan and the United States-led coalition effort in Iraq. The conflict against Saddam Hussein’s regime in Iraq was launched in March 2003. At least 4,297 soldiers have died during the military operation in Iraq, including 175 Britons.
On Mar. 20, Arizona senator John McCain—the presumptive presidential nominee for the Republican Party in this year’s United States election—met with British prime minister Gordon Brown and thanked Britain for its "sacrifices" in Iraq, saying, "We appreciate enormously the long service and sacrifice of the British servicemen and women in the military, both in Iraq and Afghanistan. (…) I fully appreciate that British public opinion has been frustrated by sometimes our lack of progress in both areas."
Polling Data
It is now five years since the invasion of Iraq. What do you feel now about the decision to commit British troops to the conflict—do you think it was the right thing to do or the wrong thing to do?
|
Right thing |
28% |
|
Wrong thing |
65% |
|
Refused |
1% |
|
Don’t know |
6% |
How likely do you think it is that democracy will become fully established in Iraq in the foreseeable future. Do you think it is…
|
Likely |
20% |
|
Unlikely |
67% |
|
Don’t know |
3% |
Source: ICM Research
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,002 British adults, conducted on Mar. 12 and Mar. 13, 2008. No margin of error was provided.
